𝑒𝑡𝑐.

Below is a collection of lyric starters taken from Taylor Swift’s eighth album ‘folklore’.

The album holds references to: sex, alcohol, blood, depression, warfare, toxic relationships, medical failure, death as well as lines that could be taken as suicidal thoughts and parental abuse — so please be mindful if you are sensitive to these subjects. All lyrics are posted as written on the album, but feel free to change pronouns or words to fit your purposes.

i’m doing good, i’m on some new shit.

i thought I saw you at the bus stop

the greatest films of all time were never made

if you wanted me, you really should’ve showed

we were something, don’t you think so?

if my wishes came true, it would’ve been you

in my defense, i have none for never leaving well enough alone

it would’ve been fun if you would’ve been the one

you know the greatest loves of all time are over now 

if one thing had been different would everything be different today? 

when you are young, they assume you know nothing 

i felt like I was an old cardigan 

a friend to all is a friend to none 

to kiss in cars and downtown bars was all we needed 

you drew stars around my scars but now I’m bleedin' 

i knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs 

cause i knew everything when I was young

i knew i’d curse you for the longest time 

i knew you’d miss me once the thrill expired and you’d be standin’ in my front porch light 

i knew you’d come back to me 

the wedding was charming, if a little gauche

there goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen 

who knows, if she never showed up, what could’ve been 

she had a marvelous time ruining everything 

there goes the most shameless woman this town has ever seen 

i had a marvelous time ruining everything 

i can see you standing, honey, with his arms around your body 

it took you five whole minutes to pack us up and leave me with it

you were my town, now I’m in exile 

i can see you starin’, honey, like he’s just your understudy 

I’m not your problem anymore, so who am i offending now? 

there is no amount of crying i can do for you 

you didn’t even hear me out

you didn’t even see the signs 

cause you never gave a warning sign 

i gave so many signs

if I’m on fire, you'll be made of ashes, too 

even on my worst day, did i deserve, babe, all the hell you gave me? 

cause i loved you, i swear i loved you til my dying day 

i didn’t have it in myself to go with grace 

if I’m dead to you, why are you at the wake? 

you wear the same jewels that i gave you as you bury me 

you know i didn’t want to have to haunt you 

when i’d fight, you used to tell me i was brave 

and i can go anywhere i want just not home 

you can aim for my heart, go for blood but you would still miss me in your bones 

you had to kill me, but it killed you just the same 

i’ll show you every version of yourself tonight 

i want you to know i’m a mirrorball, i can change everything about me to fit in 

i’m still a believer, but i don’t know why 

are there still beautiful things? 

and though i can’t recall your face i still got love for you 

love you to the moon and to saturn 

i think your house is haunted. your dad is always mad and that must be why 

i think you should come live with me 

never have i ever before

will you call when you’re back at school?

i remember thinkin’ i had you 

for me, it was enough to live for the hope of it all 

so much for summer love

you weren’t mine to lose

i can see us twisted in bed sheets 

i’ve been having a hard time adjusting 

i didn't know if you’d care if i came back 

i just wanted you to know that this is me trying 

pulled the car off the road to the lookout, could’ve followed my fears all the way down 

they told me all of my cages were mental, so i got wasted like all my potential 

my words shoot to kill when i’m mad, i have a lot of regrets about that 

it’s hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound 

that’s the thing about illicit affairs and clandestine meetings and longing stares, it’s born from just one single glance but it dies a million little times

you showed me colors you know i can’t see with anyone else 

don’t call me “kid,”

don’t call me “baby”

you taught me a secret language i can’t speak with anyone else 

you know damn well, for you, i would ruin myself a million little times 

were there clues i didn’t see? 

isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me?

time cutting me open, then healing me fine 

what did you think i’d say to that? 

fuck you forever

every time you call me crazy, i get more crazy 

when you say i seem angry, i get more angry 

it’s obvious that wanting me dead has really brought you two together 

i’m taking my time cause you took everything from me 

sir, i think he’s bleeding out

you dream of some epiphany, just one single glimpse of relief to make some sense of what you’ve seen 

doc, i think she’s crashing out

some things you just can’t speak about 

i won’t make assumptions about why you switched your homeroom but i think it’s 'cause of me 

the worst thing that i ever did was what i did to you 

would you trust me if i told you it was just a summer thing? 

i don’t know anything but i know i miss you 

if i just showed up at your party, would you have me? 

our coming-of-age has come and gone 

i never had the courage of my convictions 

i could never give you peace 

i’m a fire and i'll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade, ocean wave blues come 

all these people think love’s for show but i would die for you in secret 

would it be enough if i could never give you peace? 

your integrity makes me seem small 

i’d give you my sunshine, give you my best but the rain is always gonna come if you’re standin’ with me 

you know i left a part of me back in new york 

you knew the hero died so what’s the movie for? 

darling, this was just as hard as when they pulled me apart 

i’ve been cultivating unkindness. i’ve been cultivating a lot of things — i’m a fertile field, it turns out — but unkindness is the most interesting.

it is unkind of me to try and play a trick on you.

i can hear everything, warped and distorted but broadcast somehow.

i can’t dig you out; i can’t reach my fingers deep enough inside my own brain, inside my own ribcage.

without you, divorced from even the idea of you, i have no substance, no form.

you are the antithesis that gives me definition.

another tragic love story, who needs that?

tragedy is the point.

do you think you have a monopoly on anger?

i’m not really anything like a person.

i love you and love you and love you, just as i am gone and gone and gone.

i can’t imagine a version of myself that would not love you.

i dream of you. sometimes in my dreams you are singing. sometimes you’re raging at me.

don’t leave me.

i killed someone. i killed someone.

i’ll set myself on fire to give you light.

i don’t want you to be lost. i don’t want you to be stuck. i just want you to be free, and joyous, and buoyant.

i woke up needing you, you artery ripped loose from me, all bloody and twining.

time rattles on its hinges.

i’ve come to barter.

do you think i’m as fickle as a human?

are those matches? what do you think you’re doing?

i do not have time for this. you can be angry at me later, you can scream and rage at me when you’re not in danger anymore.

am i the martyr or are you?

there are other ways to get me to shut up, you know.

i believe you. i always believe you.

you’re always so right. it must be such a burden.

i must hate you, is that it? that’s why i did all this, because i want you gone.

i am with you because i want to be. that’s all.

i will love you like a fire loves a forest.

time has made liars and cheats of us all.

i will make a bullet of my mouth. i will make a knife of my heart.

—

Mary Oliver, from House of Light; Wings.