Next on my poetic journey with Taylor Swift’s folklore album is a piece I wrote for “illicit affairs.” The last poem is here.
Refrain
You stared at me from across the room
an arrogant smile like you knew
I’d risk it all for a single time with you.
And I hate that you’re right.You stare at me across the room, looking
away every time I try to catch
your eye. Your shoulders tense
urging me to look away before
anyone else notices.Now it’s just me and you
and I stare at you across
the room as you stare down
at your phone. My eyes urge
you to look up before I walk
away, but you don’t notice
as I pass the threshold.I tell myself it’s the last time
but the truth dies
a million little times.
This one took some digging to get a poem out of it. It’s not a topic I have any firsthand experience with, so it didn’t come organically.
Instead, I focused on the melody and rhythm of the music and lyrics. Her constant repetition of key phrases made me think of an essential component of songwriting, which is a refrain. It’s the linguistic pattern that teaches the listener what to expect next when the chorus comes.
But in the case of “illicit affairs,” I also thought the constant repetition represented the persona’s tendency to make the same mistakes over and over again. It’s the very definition of madness to repeat the same things and expect different results.
For my poem, I wanted to create the tension between secret lovers who can only communicate through looks. It’s all about stolen glances as the passion builds. But then, as it dies, the missed looks speak volumes.
Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks to those who have been following for a while. I’m looking forward to more creative writing in 2026. And if you’re new, don’t be shy —come say hi.
Comment and let me know what you think.