Taylor Swift’s "The Tortured Poets Department" opens with Stevie Nicks poem

The former Fleetwood Mac singer’s cryptic prologue for Swift’s latest album is based on heartbreak.

Taylor Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," opens with a prologue penned by none other than musical legend Stevie Nicks.

Nicks' poem, specifically addressed to "T... and me," opens the 16-track album. 

Dated August 13th, 2023 in Austin, Texas, the poem appears to reference a tumultuous relationship that fuels Swift's new music. Lines like "She was brokenhearted / Maybe he was too / Neither of them knew," offer a glimpse into themes of heartbreak explored in the album.

While the poem seems to directly address Swift's experience, fans can't help but draw parallels to Nicks' own history with Fleetwood Mac co-founder Lindsey Buckingham. 

Nicks writes, "She was just flying thru the clouds where he saw her ... she was just making her way – to the stars – when he lost her" echo the complexities of their past.

Notably, the former Fleetwood Mac singer is also mentioned by name in a song on the album, “Clara Bow.”

 

 

Swift and Nicks’ friendship dates back to 2010, with a shared Grammy stage performance and a Time Magazine essay penned by Nicks herself.

 

Courtesy: Fleetwood Mac News

About the 14-time Grammy winner, Nicks wrote, “Taylor reminds me of myself in her determination and childlike nature. This girl writes the songs that make the whole world sing, like Neil Diamond or Elton John.”

Their bond solidified further after the passing of Christine McVie, a close friend of Nicks, in late 2022. Swift's song "You're on Your Own, Kid" from her "Midnights" album offered comfort to Nicks during her grief.