The Swiftie and The Scholar

01:09:24

The Despair and Persistence of This is Me Trying

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/10/01

We’ve made it to the end of the folklore road! Join Uncle Jerry and Angela as they discuss this is me trying, where the duo finds some Typical Taylor, ambiguity, paradox, multiple meanings, and so much more. Come back for the next two weeks as we wrap-up discussion of the album as a whole.Works Cited:CoupletsHeroic coupletsAnaphoraStarship Troopers (1997)EnjambmentEllipsisIn medias resThe Odyssey – HomerCaesuraWhy I Write – Joan DidionSimileThe Swiftie and The Scholar Grading MatrixFollow

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01:14:25

The Secretive Destruction of Illicit Affairs

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/09/24

Today we’re covering our penultimate folklore poem with Illicit Affairs. Uncle Jerry finds this song fits perfectly within the category of folklore, and shows us just how Taylor Swift’s use of language showcases the lack of love in this song.*Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works Cited:InterlocutorImperative verbDramatic ironyThe Book of JonahSynecdocheThe Road Not Taken – Robert

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00:57:52

The Paradox and Parallelism of Peace

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/09/17

Did we finally find Uncle Jerry’s least favorite folklore poem? And maybe Angela’s too? In this episode, we dissect Peace from Taylor Swift’s 2020 album, and Uncle Jerry finds many paradoxes and double meanings, while struggling to find a window to crawl through into the narrative. Works Cited:ParadoxApostropheSynecdocheI Would Die 4 U – PrinceYou’ve Got a Friend in Me – Randy NewmanEasy Silence – The ChicksTwo Sleepy People – Fats WallerStuck in the Middle With You – Stealers WheelYou Are My

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01:51:10

Time’s Mystic Meandering in Invisible String

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/09/10

Buckle up, folks. This is a long one! Invisible String is up next in our folklore canon, and Uncle Jerry showed up PREPARED. He and Angela chat through folktales about the red thread, handfasting ceremonies, and more before diving into the poem. They then get into a long and philosophical conversation about fate and predestination and Forrest Gump.JOIN US ON REDDIT!*Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so

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01:21:57

The Lives We Didn’t Live in The 1

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/09/03

We have the opening track of folklore for you today! Uncle Jerry and Angela discuss the relatable way Taylor Swift writes about the ruminations about the different lives we never got to live during this discussion of The 1. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works Cited:The Windhover – Gerard Manley HopkinsEllipsisCaesuraErnest Hemingway’s Iceberg TheoryContrafactualitySight rhyme

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01:18:43

The Devastating Paradox of Hoax

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/08/27

In this episode, we are covering Hoax, the closing track from 2020’s folklore. Uncle Jerry starts out a bit iffy on his feelings about the poem, but talking through it with Angela helps him find extra meaning.*Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works Cited:AnaphoraEllipsisOxymoronPolysemyParallelismParadoxFatalismFaithless Love – Linda Ronstadti sing of Olaf glad and big – e.e

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01:18:42

The Tragedy of Miscommunication in Exile

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/08/20

Continuing along our folklore journey, this episode covers exile, the collaboration between Taylor Swift and Bon Iver. Uncle Jerry teaches us about different types of exile and how they appear across literature and folk tales. We then dig into the poem and Uncle Jerry admits to Angela that he almost cheated and listened to the song because he was so ready to hear how they spoke over each other. Also, ICYMI, we will be finishing the entire folklore album. Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we

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01:03:18

Finding Life’s Meaning in Epiphany

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/08/13

We are tackling one of the most underrated tracks from Taylor Swift’s folklore album, epiphany. The poem compares past war tragedies to 2020’s pandemic, and Uncle Jerry uses the poem to teach us about Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works Cited:Wilfred OwenSiegfried SassoonThe Death of the Ball Turret Gunner – Randall JarrellThe Angels at Hamburg –

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01:23:30

Imagined Futures in Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/08/06

We are back in our Tortured Poets Era with Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus. This song was much-requested and was voted on by our Patreon subscribers. Angela and Uncle Jerry talk through the poem and Uncle Jerry concedes that sometimes we try to find too much meaning in certain images.Works Cited:Sadie and Maud – Gwendolyn Brooksmaggie and milly and molly and may – e.e. cummings[in Just-] – e.e. cummingsBrylcreem commercialSynecdocheSonnet 12 – William ShakespeareSonnet 60 – William

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01:25:26

Finding Agency in Dear John

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/07/30

We’re back in our Speak Now era with Dear John. Angela explains the lore behind this quintessential track 5 from Taylor Swift, and Uncle Jerry talks himself into being a fan of this poem. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works Cited:Dear John LetterAgnes von Kurowsky*A Farewell to Arms – Ernest Hemingway A Dear John Letter – Jean Shepard & Ferlin HuskyDear John Letter –

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01:28:50

The Peak of Innocence in Seven

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/07/23

This week is the one year podcast anniversary, and Angela saved this song especially for this episode. But before we tackle seven from folklore, Angela and Uncle Jerry reflect on the past year and Angela surprises him with a little quiz to see just how much he’s learned about Taylor Swift and swiftie culture.Thanks for being here with us!*Links with an asterisk are affiliate links, which allow us to make a small commission on your purchase at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!Works

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01:37:26

Superficial Celebrity Criticism in Shake It Off

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/07/16

We’re taking it back to 1989 with the only Taylor Swift song Uncle Jerry knew before we started this project. Angela expected this to be a quick, simple episode, but Uncle Jerry found a lot of deeper meaning in the glitter gel pen poem.Works Cited:Catalog PoemDr. J. Don VannA Handbook to Literature – William Harmon & Hugh Holman – Aff LinkGoblin Market – Christina RossettiWhy We Oppose Pockets for Women – Alice Duer MillerAnaphoraMetonymyOnomatopoeiaEpizeuxisPolyptotonTautologicalThe Waking –

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01:09:11

The Mosaic of Love in State of Grace

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/07/09

Today we return to Angela’s beloved Red era with State of Grace! Uncle Jerry surprises her with his excitement about the poem, and they go through all the ideas of love Taylor presents throughout the opening track.And there’s gravy all over the plate!Works Cited:In medias resKinetic or kinesthetic imageryMetonymyParallel structureA Midsummer Night's Dream – William Shakespeare – Aff LinkConcrete PoetryA to Z Horoscope Maker and Interpreter – Llewellyn George – Aff LinkSynecdocheSynecdoche vs

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01:08:44

The Coming of Age Narrative in You’re On Your Own, Kid

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/07/02

Angela finally introduces Uncle Jerry to a pivotal track 5 from Taylor Swift’s discography—You’re On Your Own, Kid. They discuss the real life events that could have inspired the song and Uncle Jerry talks about other pieces of pop culture that tell a similar story.Works Cited:AnaphoraColloquial dictionDramatic ironyFree indirect discourseVerbal ironyAuditory imageryMetonymyAdventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain – Aff linkThe Divine Comedy – Dante Alighieri – Aff linkSonnet 73 – William

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01:08:44

The Chronicles of Conflict in The Great War

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/06/25

In this episode, Uncle Jerry and Angela tackle The Great War from 2022’s Midnights. Uncle Jerry wrestles with the idea of using a horrific event as a metaphor, and he teaches all about the many floral symbols used throughout the poem.Works Cited:The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady – Edith Holden – Aff LinkThe Great War and Modern Memory – Paul Fussell – Aff LinkThe Strange Destiny of Rupert Brooke Hardcover – John LehmannSiegfried SassoonMemoirs of an Infantry Officer: The Memoirs of George

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01:13:40

The Parachute of Childhood in I Knew It, I Knew You

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/06/18

Man, it’s been a while! Today we’re covering the newly released I Knew It, I Knew You from Toy Story 5 and current #1 on the Billboard 100 chart.Uncle Jerry takes us through the poem, talking all about childhood and friendship and how both this song and the movie franchise showcase the magic of being a kid. We bring in a special guest–an expert–at the end to grade the song.Works Cited:HomonymRunnin’ Wild – Some Like It HotVoltaEmjambmentEpiphora or EpistropheLeaves of Grass – Walt

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01:27:24

The Light of Stardom in Clara Bow

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/06/04

We are taking it back to the 1920s (and then the 1970s) today with Clara Bow from The Tortured Poets Department. Uncle Jerry talks all about the early film industry, Stevie Nicks, the violence of beauty and fame for women, and so much more. Works Cited:Clara BowThe Jazz Singer (1927)Greta GarboDouglas FairbanksJohn GilbertMichael CurtizCasablanca (1942)The Lodger (1947)World’s Columbian Exposition (1893)The Birth of a Nation (1915)It (1927)It – Elinor Glyn – Aff LinkCaesuraHoratio AlgerDeath of a

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01:12:34

The Nature of Fame in Mirrorball

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/05/28

We’re back in our folklore era with mirrorball today! Uncle Jerry had some extra time with this one and doesn’t even know where to start the discussion. We get into the uses of mirrors in folklore, how this was made during the pandemic, and discuss the many facets of celebrity. Make sure you come back next week for another song discussing the nature of fame.Works Cited:The Philosophy of Reflection: Mirrors as Symbols Across CulturesCatoptromancyThrough the Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll – Aff

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00:52:40

The Inquisitive Human Nature in How Did It End?

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/05/21

FIXED AUDIO!Call all your friends and cousins, we’re finally covering How Did It End? from The Tortured Poets Department. Uncle Jerry finds tons of beautiful poetics and dark humor in this one, and Angela discusses its connections to both The Prophecy and But Daddy I Love Him. If you want to vote for a specific song for June, join us on Patreon to play along!Works Cited:General Reference PronounAutofiction as a Doorway Into TruthConceit – Literary termCome One, Come All – All Time LowSlant

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01:21:22

The Christian Tendrils of But Daddy I Love Him

The Swiftie and The Scholar ·

2026/05/14

Buckle up for a long one! We are flooring it through the fences today with But Daddy I Love Him from Taylor Swift’s 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department. We discuss common movie tropes, conservative small towns, and the lyrics Angela wants to have tattooed from this song.Works Cited:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke – Aff LinkEast of Eden – John Steinbeck – Aff LinkRebel With a Cause (1955)The Notebook (2004)Inside Daisy Clover (1965)How The West Was Won (1962)AnaphoraEpiphora

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