The Lakes Analysis: A THREAD

okay sooo disclaimer i haven’t done englit in like two years and i’ll probably miss something so feel free to add your own theories! this is based solely on the lyrics because i haven’t heard it yet

also sorry if my english is bad it isn’t my first language

anyways onwards! x

“is it romantic how all my elegies eulogise me?”

Elegy means a sad poem or speech, usually said at funerals, and eulogy is also a speech/praise spoken at funerals. This refers to the “dead Taylor” and how even her saddest songs are used against her, eg. her breakup songs (1/2)

are too emotional, she’s only playing the victim etc etc. (2/2)

“I’m not cut out for all these cynical clones // These hunters with cell phones”

I’m reminded of twitter/2016 with this line. people keep hating on her and repeating the same points (taylorswiftisoverparty). basically, they try to bring her down/hunt her via social media/phones.

“Take me to the Lakes // Where all the poets went to die”

Poets from the Lake District were A Thing in the 19th century. (One noteworthy poet is William Wordsworth: write this down!) I think Taylor is inspired to write her music by the lakes as well. (1/2)

The lakes are a place of solitude and refuge to her and it inspires a more profound and poetical tone. This is reflected in the rest of her lyrics on #folklore (“clandestine meetings”, “my tears richochet”). (2/2)

“I don’t belong // and, my beloved, neither do you”

I think this refers to the fact that Taylor feels like she sometimes doesn’t belong in the celebrity life, and neither does her beloved/Joe. This brings me to “Why She Disappeared”, because she didn’t belong in a (1/2)

culture of hate and where artists are often discarded and cancelled and some “shiny new toy” is brought in. (See Miss Americana) It’s very romantic in a way because it’s like the two of them against the world when Taylor went into hiding. (2/2)

“These Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry”

Winderemere references a large lake in Lake District. I think it’s a place where Taylor sought refuge in and also was inspired to write her music. Possibly when she was in hiding, possibly after that.

“I’m setting off // but not without my muse”

Carrying on with the hiding/retreat theme, this means Taylor is going into hiding away from the world, but with her lover. This calls back to CIWYW (“You don’t need to save me... but would you run away with me?”)

“What should be over // Burrowed under my skin // In heart-stopping waves of hurt”

This probably refers to the 2016 incident, or simply all the hate she received and she was hurt by. She’s supposed to have gotten over it by now but it still hurts her now and then.

“I’ve come too far to watch some name dropping sleaze // tell me what are my Wordsworth”

Wordplay on Wordsworth (she is so smart istg) - a Lake District poet William Wordsworth, but also: Taylor is done with the critics telling her what her words are worth. (1/2)

She is done with being told that her songs are emotionally manipulative, that she’s just playing the victim etc.

Sleaze means someone with “low moral standards” — haters who use her for clout basically (2/2)

“I want auroras and sad prose”

This line sounds fantastical to me, like the stuff of sombre woodland fairies To me it feels like Taylor is in search of something magical for her music, rather than something that is very pop and upbeat. It calls back to the tone of #folklore

“I want to watch wisteria grow”

Meanings of the wisteria flower:

- good luck for new marriages
- serious devotion to a person
- welcoming someone to a new home
- expressing affections after meeting someone special

(Source: https://www.flowermeaning.com/wisteria-flower/)

“Over my bare feet // cause I haven’t moved in years // and i want you right here”

Taylor feels frozen in time, possibly because of her music/career? Or the fact that she is hiding? And she wants to watch the world grow and blossom around her, like her love for Joe.

“A red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground // with no one around to tweet it”

Quoting the Lover journals: “Taking a picture of a moment can ruin it altogether”.

I think Taylor is relishing living in the moment by the Lakes, just enjoying her life with Joe (1/2)

Away from having to post her life on Instagram. This line is also a metaphor for their love!!! Out of the “ice frozen ground” aka Taylor’s worst times, a “red rose” aka their relationship was grown and nurtured, but this time it was kept private. No one tweeted it. (2/2)

“While I bathe in cliffside pools // with my calamitous love and unsurmountable grief”

I think cliffside pools means “the Lakes”. Calamitous means disastrous, and unsurmountable means “unable to be overcome”. Taylor is taking her complicated emotions and her stories (1/2)

To the Lakes and capturing them in poetry and lyrics. Love has been a rough journey for her and also there’s a lot of grief and hurt in her life that will take time to heal from. And she finds refuge in songwriting and creating. Like the piano in the sea in cardigan. (2/2)

End of thread! Thanks for reading and I hope we can enjoy the Lakes together when it’s out :) Making theories are so fun and I’d love to read yours! x

Anyways it’s like 2am so bye lmao