Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, features a special hidden treat for fans: a poem written by music icon Stevie Nicks.
The Fleetwood Mac legend penned a moving poem titled “For T and me…” which is included in the physical copies of the album and the vinyl insert. The poem, set in Austin, Texas, details the tale of two ill-fated lovers and begins with the lines:
“He was in love with her
Or at least she thought so
She was broken-hearted
Maybe he was too
Neither of them knew.”
The poem goes on to describe the complexities of their relationship:
“She was way too hot to handle
He was way too high to try
He couldn’t even see her
He wouldn’t open his eyes.”
There’s speculation that the poem may reflect a failed relationship in Taylor Swift’s life, or that the “and me” in the title hints at some self-reflection. Nicks, 75, has never shied away from writing about past heartbreak, as she did in Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album Rumours, where both Nicks and her ex, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, wrote about their breakup.
The poem continues:
“She was on her way to the stars
He didn’t say goodbye
She looked back from her future
And shed a few tears
He looked into his past
And actually felt fear.”
Nicks’ writing takes a more self-empowering turn with the lines:
“For both of them
The answers would never be
Ever clear
Don’t ask questions now
Do that later.”
The poem closes with a sense of finality:
“She was just flying
thru the clouds
Where he saw her
She was just making her way
To the stars
When he lost her…”
Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks have a close friendship, which began when they performed Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” and Swift’s “You Belong with Me” together at the 2010 Grammy Awards. Swift later described the experience as “a fairy tale and an honor.”
Nicks has often praised Swift’s songwriting, comparing her to legendary artists like Neil Diamond and Elton John.
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