226 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2021
    1. And save me from myself and all this conflict

      He needs someone to save him from himself so maybe this could mean that he is afraid of who he was or what he can become (his monster). He also wants to be saved from the conflict that he faces, which could come from internal conflict or conflict with the people who think that he's crazy.

    2. Oh, well, guess beggars can't be choosey

      The expression "beggars can't be choosey" means that a person who really needs or wants something should be satisfied with what they receive even if it's not exactly what they wanted. So in this line, he is saying that he accepts the fact that what he got is what he has even though the extreme fame that he has wasn't something that he's always wanted.

    3. It's nothing, I'm still friends with the

      He's made his point that being called crazy means nothing to him (maybe because he is already aware that he is) and no matter how many people say that he's crazy, he knows that it won't change the fact that he is comfortable with what he's afraid of and what he's struggling with in life.

    4. I am nuts for real, but I'm okay with that

      At this point in the song, he is completely aware that he has mental abnormalities and that a normal person wouldn’t be comfortable with those problems, but he’s fine with those things and accepts the fact that people think that he’s crazy. People also think that he’s crazy for not being happy with the fame that he’s gained since fame and popularity bring power and money, but he’s okay with the fact that people think this way about him.

    5. Maybe I need a straightjacket, face facts

      He is starting to face facts and accept that maybe is is crazy and maybe there's many things wrong with him or the way that he thinks.

    6. Straw into gold chump, I will spin Rumpelstiltskin in a haystack

      Turning straw into gold chump or "spinning Rumpelstiltskin in a haystack" could both represent turning a bad thing or situation into something that you can be proud of.

    7. In the draft, turn nothing into something, still can make that

      Russell Wilson being drafted was a set back for him, but he still managed to make the most out of what he had, so maybe this line is a message that a person should take whatever they have and make the most out of it (which is what Eminem's done with his fame).

    8. It's payback, Russell Wilson falling way back

      Russell Wilson is a quarterback who now plays for the Seattle Seahawks after being drafted to different teams many times, so it's possible that Russell Wilson is someone who found motivation in Eminem's songs.

    9. Who are going through a struggle feels it and then relates that's great

      If there is a kid out of many that are going through something similar to the scenario he described ( getting motivation from one of his songs to stand up against someone who put them down, he thinks that its great but that's not his main goal when making music.

    10. I ain't here to save the fucking children

      Although his songs gave kids motivation to live a life that they want, his intentions were never to save the kids from being in a state of helplessness.

    11. To the kids who played him

      The songs that he did with Dr. Dre gave kids the drive and ambition they needed to stand up for themselves and say something back to the ones that were their bullies or played them.

    12. Give every kid who got played that

      The kids who were played or bullied that listened to the tracks that he was on with Dr. Dre received something from their music (maybe some sort of feeling like happiness or excitement).

    13. Pumped up feeling and shit to say back

      The kids that listened to his tracks with Dr. Dre were given a pumped up, energetic music when they listened to their songs, which gave them motivation to say somethings back in response.

    14. Take you back to the days that I'd get on a Dre track

      He wants to remind people of the early years of his rapping career when he rapped with Dr. Dre (which might be when he was in his most novice state when it came to being a rapper/producer).

    15. MCs, blood get spilled and I'll

      He'll come straight for the MCs (an alternative term for a rapper), so maybe this means he'll come to other rappers for support or advice. The expression "blood get spilled" could mean that vulnerability is shown.

    16. But until then drums get killed and I'm coming straight at

      Maybe the expression "drums get killed" refers to people stopping what they're doing to surround Eminem to take pictures and videos.

    17. One day that I'd walk amongst you a regular civilian

      He has a vision (or a dream) of being able to fit in with a crowd a be treated the same way a normal civilian is. He doesn't want to be treated like he is special in public and wants to be treated like any other person would be.

    18. Call me crazy but I have this vision

      He knows that people think he's crazy, but he still wants them to listen to this idea or vision that he has (maybe something that he dreams of).

    19. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just friends with the

      The expression "don't shoot the messenger" means to not be upset with the person that's relaying information, but to be upset with the person that said the information in the first place, so in this line, he's saying that people shouldn't be upset with him for saying what the voices in his head (which could be powered by his fears), people should be upset with the voices themselves.

    20. I'm just relaying what the voice in my head's saying

      Since his mental issues are consuming his thoughts and feelings, part of his mental issues are telling him things that he might not actually think or feel.

    21. Keep knocking, nobody's home, I'm sleepwalking

      Maybe his mental issues like his OCD have consumed so much of his mind that he has no other thoughts or feeling yet and is practically in a trance throughout the day (almost as if he's on "airplane mode").

    22. Cause the very thing that I love's killing me and I can't conquer it

      The exact thing that he loves (which could be his ego or the fear of what he was or what he can become) is killing him and is something that consumes his mind and probably takes over his thoughts.

    23. To intervene between me and this monster

      He wants an interventionist to intervene with whatever fear she has, which serves as a cry for help because he knows that these fears are bad for him.

    24. Cause I need an interventionist

      An interventionist is a person who favors government intervention in people's domestic life, so this line can mean that he feels that he needs someone who is in favor of government intervention to intervene with something in his life.

    25. And stumbled on 'ta Jeff VanVonderen

      Jeff VanVonderen is an inspirational author and interventionist, so the reference to him in this line could mean that the mind of a person who ponders will eventually stumble upon the words of a person who gives them motivation or changes their viewpoint on life.

    26. I think it went wandering off down yonder

      He is referring to a person's mind that had wandered to a completely different place because they were pondering on whether or not they should seize the opportunity they have.

    27. Yoda-loda-le-hee-hoo

      The yodeling in this line symbolizes trying to get someone to focus or get their attention (which is one of the reasons why people yodel in the mountains).

    28. No wonder you're losing your mind the way it wanders.)

      He's saying that people who ponder on their goals in life shouldn't ponder at all because it could cause them to lose their minds (because they're wondering about every bad outcome of trying to achieve their goals, most likely).

    29. (Yeah, pondering'll do you wonders.

      I think this line is meant as a sign of sarcasm since he says that "pondering'll do you wonders" right after he says to not hesitate on something you want in life, which contradict each other.

    30. So I keep conjuring, sometimes I wonder where these thoughts spawn from

      Conjuring means to perform something that seems unreal or magical, so maybe he is referring to the lyrics he writes (meaning that he is practically making up lines as he performs) and wonders how he thinks of those lines.

    31. Cause you never know when it all could be over tomorrow

      He wants to inspire people to be non-hesitant about seizing an opportunity because (like he says in "Lose Yourself") you might only get once chance.

    32. To seize the moment and don't squander it

      He wants to advice people who have a goal in life to not hesitate and make the moment count (which can also be a reference to Eminem's song "Lose Yourself", which is about having your moment because you might not get another chance to have this opportunity.

    33. Now, I ain't much of a poet but I know somebody once told me

      Poet usually write poems that are meant to inspire someone (or to tell some kind of story), so this line signals that he wants to inspire someone with something that he was told in the past.

    34. Well, that's nothing

      Since the line is repeated, it could symbolize that being called crazy for being okay with fears means nothing to her because she's been called worse or she's used to being called crazy.

    35. Well, that's nothing

      The fact that this line is used right after the line "you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy" could mean that she's used to being called worse than "crazy".

    36. Cause I'm

      I feel like this transition into the chorus symbolizes that he is in agreement with what Rihanna is saying when she says that she's "friends with the monster that's under her bed".

    37. But I'm actually weirder than you think

      There are things about his mentality that he doesn't tell people, so because of this, no one knows exactly how bad his mental state is in.

    38. Going cuckoo and cooky as Kool Keith

      Kool Keith is another rapper who in known for profane and incomprehensible lyrics, so this reference could symbolize that people don't understand Eminem and he thinks that his writing style or mental state is similar to Kool Keith's.

    39. I'm beginning to lose sleep: one sheep, two sheep

      He's becoming restless, maybe because he is working really hard for something and has the ambition to keep going for it.

    40. Ironic 'cause I think I'm getting so huge I need a shrink

      A shrink in this line could refer to a clinical psychologist or a change from something large to a smaller state. In the context of a psychologist, he's saying that he needs one to help with his mental state and in the context of a shrink in size, the line can symbolize him needing a shrink in the size of his ego.

    41. It was like winning a used mink

      A used mink refers to an expensive mink fur coat, so him saying that gaining fame was like winning a used mink means that he thinks it's good that he got the recognition, even though it's not exactly what he asked for.

    42. But with what I gave up to get it was bittersweet

      He had to give up some things when he got his fame, but he saw doing that as a good thing and also a bad thing.

    43. Hit the lottery, oh wee

      By writing some disrespectful lyrics, he finally got the fame he wanted and "hit the lottery" with how lucky he was that people began to notice his music.

    44. Abused ink, used it as a tool when I blew steam (wooh!)

      Maybe the phrase "abused ink" refers to some of the disrespectful lyrics that he's written in the past, meaning that he wrote those words out of frustration.

    45. Cause all I wanted to do is be the Bruce Lee of loose leaf

      Loose leaf refers to a piece of paper that has no set place (like a piece of paper that a person would take random notes on) and Bruce Lee is a well known master at martial arts, so Eminem maybe put this line in the song as a reference to him wanting to become a master lyricist.

    46. When I blew; see, but it was confusing

      Him saying that he "blew" could mean that he purposefully put himself out there to get the fame that he wanted and the more he tried to get that fame, the bigger his ego grew.

    47. Fame made me a balloon 'cause my ego inflated

      He let the fame and acknowledgement get to his head, which caused him to acquire a bigger ego (which is one of the reasons why some people hate Eminem).

    48. For wanting my cake and eat it too, and wanting it both ways

      Saying that you or another person wants their cake and and eat it too means that they desire two good things at once, so in this context, he wanted to be acknowledged for his talent by many people but he also wanted people to treat him like he wasn't a significant person in society in public, which are two things that no celebrity can have at the same time

    49. Wanted to be left alone in public. Excuse me

      Although he was given so much fame for what he's done, he still wanted to be treated like any other person in public.

    50. Wanted to receive attention for my music

      He only wanted to receive attention for the music he produced and wrote, but Eminem actually got fame from other things such as the movies that he produced and starred in that were created to tell his life story.

    51. I wanted the fame, but not the cover of Newsweek

      He wanted to get acknowledgement from people, but he never wanted to be known by many people for something that he's done.

    52. And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy

      The person who is trying to save her from her fears and the voices in her head (her mental problems) thinks that she's crazy, maybe because she is refusing the help that she needs. She says the words "you think I'm crazy" twice to possibly emphasize that she is seen as deranged for being okay with these fears and mental struggles. .

    53. You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath

      Someone in her life believes that she is able to be rescued from her fears and the voices in her head, but she doesn't want them to waste their time and energy doing so.

    54. Get along with the voices inside of my head

      She's learning to accept the voices in her head, whether the voices are spontaneous or are telling her bad things that she doesn't want to hear.

    55. I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed

      She's enjoys the company of whatever it is that she's fearing or is trying to get away from. The monster is under her bed, so her fears are with her even at the places she feels the most comfortable at.

    1. My darling, please, don’t be sad.

      The line is italicized, so this stanza must be dialogue that she speaks to the community she loves. She is asking them to not be sad, so maybe they're upset because they feels that there's something missing from their experiences as a community.

    2. with the man I love.

      I feel like this line could symbol her vulnerability and how comfortable she is with the community she lives in. Maybe the "man" that she loves is representative of the country or community that she loves.

    3. for you.

      The things that she's gathered were all for someone (maybe she purposefully is gathering things that her community needs and is ready to give it to them).

    4. o gather sweet crocuses and jonquils

      She's gathering things that maybe would make someone happy or maybe things that a person would find as essential, so maybe she's gathering something that a community would want to have.

    5. a stroll through the Tenderloin

      In this case, the Tenderloin could be a certain place that people like in the community. Since she says that she strolls through it, she must be very familiar with the area and finds comfort in going through it.

    6. persimmons from Chinatown

      Persimmons are a sweet fruit, so she is saying that the fruit is something that is insignificant but enjoyable and is something that she can get from Chinatown, so maybe she feels comfortable there or she just looks forward to the delectables that it has to offer.

    7. the talent, the courage, the wherewithal.

      She lists things that communities find essential in order to survive and be unique and maybe she wants to make an emphasis that they could've had those things but don't.

    8. you cry, “Mei Ling, Mei Ling, once

      Mei Ling is a name that she has been given and goes by.A person crying out her name could be a person who is desperate to tell her something or id begging her for something.

    9. it suspends where no prophet can touch.

      there's a part of this path that even a prophet won't get to, so maybe it's something that no human ever achieves in their life time.

    10. is a three-tiered freeway. Look up:

      since there are three tiers that the path can be divided into, the paths must symbolize a beginning, middle, and end. she tells the audience to look up, which could mean that she wants them to look up at something good that will come.

    11. the path through the “Golden Mountains”

      a mountain range would be difficult to get through, so maybe she is describing the difficult path that the Asian immigrants had to take .

    12. Hong Kong, San Francisco, San Jose,

      these three places are popular for Asian immigrants or tourists to go to, so maybe she believes that people from a fallen community in Asia have all came to those three places to seek what they've lost.

    13. Where is your birthplace,

      maybe the people have changed so much from an unhealthy community that they are far away from who they used to be or who they originally were.

    14. Where is the Yellow Emperor who nurtured you?

      whoever was responsible for taking care of the people has left or refused to do their job of keeping the community alive.

    15. on the land of your displacement

      Maybe the community that is being referred to is displacing something that the community needs for strength and/or support.

    16. city’s oxygen, small men’s shadow,

      Oxygen is seen as the main resource that humans need to survive, so in this context, "city's oxygen" is the community's main resource and needs it to survive.

    17. Gingko, vomit-eater of the metropolis

      Maybe she is acknowledging someone who cleans up after the community and rids it of things that can destroy the community as a whole.

    18. in the comfort of night.

      At night, maybe people find comfort in the silence or the darkness, so maybe the people of Asia are asking for the foundation of their community to not get too comfortable with the way things are because another community can easily come and ruin everything they've worked for.

    19. You arrange the amenities

      The strong, stable support system that is holding up possibly the entire community in Asia has the power to arrange something that a person desires in life.

    20. like a thin-hipped dowager

      A dowager can be defined as a widow or a dignified elderly woman, so the comparison of the bamboo to a thin-hipped dowager can symbolize something (maybe the community in Asia) being supported by something that looks so feeble.

    21. squats in the sinking earth

      maybe this line portrays that the bamboo is forced deep into the ground, which also supports the foundation of the house and makes the bamboo so strong and stable. Because of this, maybe this line symbolizes someone who has a deep rooted mindset that keeps them strong and stable.

    22. refuses to bend in the wind,

      The material used to build the condominiums were strong and could easily support the foundation of the house, so maybe the strong bamboo symbolizes a person in her life who is strong and stable.

    23. Condominium, stiff bamboo

      A condominium is an urban house that is smaller than a normal house and is conjoined with another. Maybe the condominium she lived in or has seen were made of stiff bamboo.

    1. Yeah just take me home, oh

      She adds even more emphasis on the line "take me home", which makes it very obvious that she is passionate to get to this beginning point. Home is where people feel safe, loved, and comfortable so maybe those are the feelings she has at that beginning point of the cycle.

    2. Just take me home

      She repeats the line "take me home" and puts more emphasis on the words this time, so maybe she has a burning desire to go through the cycle that the two constantly go through again.

    3. Take me home

      Since he picked her up from her home at the beginning of the song, that could symbolize the start of their relationship or the start of this never-ending cycle that they're in. She wants him to take her home, so this could mean that she wants to go back to the beginning with him.

    4. I said "I've been there too a few times"

      She feels the same way he does and finds something about their relationship or about him in general that she likes and lets that be what drives her to come back to him.

    5. Can't stop thinking about you" and I

      From this line, you can tell that he's been thinking about her a lot even though he found another girl to be with and that he found some kind of quality that she has that keeps him coming back to her.

    6. He says "What you've heard is true but I

      He admits that he's moved on and found some other girl to be with, hinting at the fact that he is open with her. The use of the words "but I" is another symbol of contradictory which could be used as a way to distract her or the audience from the fact that he's been with someone else.

    7. I say "I've heard that you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl"

      She must have heard this information from someone or a group of people, so this must mean that he has some popularity and people constantly know what he's up to. Also, she repeats the words "some other girl", maybe out of jealousy or to emphasize that he was able to move on while she probably couldn't.

    8. Takes me home, lights are off he's taking off his coat (Hm yeah)

      He took her home, which is where their staring point is, so the first part of the line can mean that he is taking her back to the start of the relationship. Him taking off his coat can symbolize that he is preparing to be comfortable and open with her.

    9. So it goes, he can't keep his wild eyes on the road

      It seems like he has many things on his mind since he can't keep his "wild eyes" on the road. The fact that she describes that he has "wild eyes" could mean that he is searching or is frantic/passionate about something.

    10. And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt

      She focuses on more than just her looks when she's describing herself, so maybe her main focus is really to describe his favorite things about her.

    11. You've got that long hair slick back, white t-shirt

      Again she is focusing on his physical appearance, maybe because she wanted to make the point that he has features that she likes about him (possibly one of the reasons why she comes back to him).

    12. Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style

      She says that they "never go out of style", meaning that they will never stop coming back to each other, no matter how many consequences there are from doing so.

    13. And when we go crashing down, we come back every time

      No matter how many times they have a falling out and stop talking to each other, they both know that there is something about the other that they can't resist coming back for.

    14. And I got that red lip, classic thing that you like

      She's aware that there's something about her physical appearance that he likes, so that could be his reason for talking to her again.

    15. You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye

      This is obviously another one of Taylor's songs where she focuses on the looks of the man she is singing about, so maybe in this song, she feels that it's worth going through the pain of talking to him again because she likes the way that he looks.

    16. Watch it go round and round each time

      Even though she's aware that good things don't come from talking to him again, she still allows herself to watch the cycle go around and around anyway, almost as if she's okay with going through the heartache because she finds something good that can come from it in the grand scheme of things.

    17. Know exactly where it leads but I

      She knows exactly where the two of them talking again will end up turning out and the fact that she ends the line with "but" symbolizes that she's willing to experience that sad ending all over again.

    18. And I should just tell you to leave 'cause I

      The fact that she is suggesting that it would be out of best interest to tell him to leave symbolizes that she has an idea of how things can go and might be hesitant to bring back old feelings.

    19. (Heard from you)

      The fact that she only repeats this part of that last line could symbolize that she's surprised that she heard from him since that last time they spoke, or she might have wanted to put an emphasis on those three words to let the listener keep n mind that they talked to each other again.

    20. It's been a while since I have even heard from you

      They haven't talked to each other in a while, so maybe the fact that he comes to pick her up despite that fact could mean that he's looking for something (possibly looking to a fresh start with her).

    21. Fade into view, oh,

      Something fading in can symbolize the passage of time or a person's emotions transitioning into something else, so over time, there could have been something that she began to become aware of.

    22. Long drive, could end in burning flames or paradise

      The drive was long, so it could potentially symbolize their relationship itself; she doesn't know if the relationship will turn out to be great or crash and burn.

    23. Midnight, you come and pick me up, no headlights

      Because it's so late at night and it's obviously dark outside, he wanted intimacy and privacy with her. The lack of headlights also symbolizes that he doesn't want anyone else to be aware that he came to get her.

    1. Even if it's just pretend

      Even though he probably would have to pretend that they'll see each other again in order for him to say that he will, she still wants to hear him say that he'll see her again (she's searching and wants that false hope).

    2. Follow you around

      The memories of their relationship (most likely the good ones) will follow him around and will be stuck in his mind until it's been so long that he's forgotten about her (if he ever does).

    3. I bet these memories

      She can be that he'll keep memories of the experiences he had with her because she believes that those experiences (and she herself) are unforgettable.

    4. You'll see me in hindsight

      Seeing something in hindsight means to only understand something after it's happened and over with. So when she says that he'll see her in hindsight, she means that after he leaves her, he'll understand how great their relationship was at times.

    5. And when we've had our very last kiss

      Now, the relationship is coming to its end and she is describing what she wants from him after they've shared their last romantic interaction.

    6. Nothing lasts forever but this is getting good now

      She repeats the statement that nothing lasts forever possibly as a way to get a listener to stay focused on the fact that the good things from this relationship are over. The part of the line "but this is getting good now" sounds like a possible turning point in the song as she starts to explain the ending of the relationship.

    7. And his voice is a familiar sound

      By now, they must have known each other and/or been together for a long time since his voice has familiarity to it. Maybe the familiarity in his voice brings her happiness or comfort.

    8. His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room

      Based on this line, I can tell that they trust each other and are comfortable with being vulnerable around each other.

    9. Wildest dreams, ah-ha

      The repetition of the words "wildest dreams" and the sigh at the end emphasizes the fact that she knows that seeing him again and being happy with him are just in their wildest dreams and are unlikely to happen.

    10. Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ha

      Even if seeing her again is some unrealistic fantasy that he has, she still wants him to maybe "give her false hope" that it can happen. The fact that she sighs and the end of this line can mean that she's already painfully aware that the two of them can never go back to the way they were when they were happy together.

    11. Say you'll see me again

      She's most likely aware that there's a possibility that they won't see each other again, but she still wants to hear him say that they will based on the slim chance that it'll happen.

    12. Staring at the sunset, babe

      Staring at a sunset (watching the sun descend) symbolizes a person watching something in their life end, so maybe she wants him to remember the fact that even though she was aware of the flaws they had, she still stayed with him until the end.

    13. Say you'll remember me standing in a nice dress

      Her condition before he leaves her is that she wants him to tell her that he'll remember how beautiful she looks

    14. My one condition is

      She wants to ask him to do one last thing for her before he leaves her and since it's her one condition, she doesn't want to let him go without him promising he'll fulfill her request.

    15. I can see the end as it begins

      As the relationship is beginning, she can tell that things aren't going to work out (whether it's because he has a bad attitude, she knows that he wants to eventually leave town and she can't go with him, or that there are too many flaws in the beginning for the relationship to last very long).

    16. He's so bad but he does it so well

      Now she focuses on the way that he acts towards her and maybe other people too (he could be bad at talking to people, bad at love, bad at communication, etc.). She's saying that he's good at being bad, which could mean that she thinks it's natural for him to be bad so he does it well.

    17. He's so tall and handsome as hell

      In this line, she focuses on the way that he looks and could have made assumptions about his personality from those things when she first met him.

    18. Nothing lasts forever, but this is gonna take me down

      She was already aware that nothing in life will last forever or nothing in life will always be exactly the same, but she is still sad or emotional about the fact that she has to let him go.

    19. I thought heaven can't help me now

      She knows that she won't be able to run away with him and that not even a miracle from heaven can help the unfortunate situation they're in

    20. Drive out of the city, away from the crowds"

      He wants to leave from the city to get away from the crowds so he can have her without any distraction or people expressing a negative opinion about the two of them

    1. floating perfectly through the net.

      In the end, all of his accomplishments and hard-ships in life eventually paid off and everything good that he's done just perfectly falls into place.

    2. and swiveling back to see an orange blur

      Although he fell hard in life, he still attempts to see if his accomplishments and hard work make it to where he wanted them to and pay off in the end.

    3. for the game he loved like a country

      People consider life to be a game, so his life that he considers to be one big, coordinated game of sport, of he loves as if it's his responsibility to love his life (like how some Americans feel like they are responsible for loving and respecting America)

    4. with a wild, headlong motion

      The figurative fall that he experienced in life was a hard fall to the ground; a type of fall that's difficult to easily recover from.

    5. inexplicably falling, hitting the floor

      His loss of balance in life had caused him to have a fall that was inexplicable (he couldn't explain the reason why he fell to the ground so hard)

    6. but losing his balance in the process,   

      Getting over the life obstacle was so difficult that he couldn't save his balance, maybe his balance with the things he has going on in life.

    7. by himself now and laying it gently   

      Maybe there's one last obstacle in life he has to face and he knows that he has to face it alone, so he's being as careful as he can to get things right.

    8. in a fury, taking the ball into the air

      Now, the hard work that he and his "brother(s)" have gone through was furiously taken away from him and his accomplishments are now "in the air for grabs".

    9. while the power-forward explodes past them   

      The new obstacle in life that has potential to ruin everything he's worked for comes fast and is difficult to avoid.

    10. until the guard finally lunges out   

      Everything in life is going the way that it should as he and his "brother" get through life's obstacles together until someone or somethings comes out to ruin that.

    11. a single bounce hitting the hardwood

      There's not a single moment where he and who he considers a brother end up letting something good in life slip away or be ruined.

    12. between them without a dribble, without   

      As he lives a good life with the one he considers a brother, there are no slip-ups and the two are perfectly coordinated when dealing with whatever obstacles in life.

    13. together as brothers passing the ball

      The line could mean that he has lived moments in his life with someone he sees as a brother; working together in unison to help each other through obstacles.

    14. and filling the lanes in tandem, moving   

      Something that happens in tandem refers to two things happening one after the other, so maybe these planned events in life are starting to align and happen one by one.

    15. like a coach’s drawing on the blackboard,

      The way things happened seem like they have been perfectly orchestrated and everything is going according to plan.

    16. in slow motion, almost exactly

      Maybe things in life are going very slowly, or he sees the world in slow motion as he tries to grasp the reality of everything that's happening.

    17. letting the play develop in front of him

      By "letting the play develop in front of him", that could mean that he wants to watch and let his life to play out, or he wants to just watch what he's created in life play out.

    18. an underhand pass toward the other guard   

      The pass was directed towards someone else, so maybe whatever he thought was going to be unexpectedly thrown at him in life was actually directed another way.

    19. to the outlet who is already shoveling

      Shoveling is a form of throwing or catching a ball, so this line could symbolize someone being prepared for something in life being unexpectedly thrown at them.

    20. and spinning around to throw a strike   

      Spinning around to throw a strike could be a method used to have better accuracy, so this line could mean that he had to use certain methods to get or do something perfectly.

    21. from the air like a cherished possession

      The "orange leather" was gathered very carefully, so there could be something he was reaching for in his life that he held on to dearly.

    22. and for once our gangly starting center   

      To be gangly means to be tall and awkward, so the starting center being described as gangly could refer to the beginning of something being awkward or strange.

    23. A hook shot kisses the rim

      a hook shot is sitting on the rim, so maybe this refers to an idea or something that looked like it was going to be interesting or impressive.

    24. In Memory of Dennis Turner, 1946-1984

      Because he puts this at the beginning of the poem, he might have written the poem based on Dennis Turner or wrote about things that happened in his life.

    25. Fast Break

      A person would take a fast break if their super busy and have lots of work to do, so maybe Hirsch wanted to dedicate this poem around that idea.

    1. Don't say I didn't say, I didn't warn ya

      She wants to warn young women about how difficult it can be to have a stable relationship that will last. She is giving this warning about men who are players but knows that not everyone will listen to her.

    2. Boys only want love if it's torture

      I feel like this line fully portrays her central message that men/boys who are players will only get into a relationship if they know it'll be torture for the both of them, maybe because they like to move from relationship to relationship and don't usually commit to one.

    3. Or with a nasty scar

      She is aware that they both (or only the guy) can end up getting hurt emotionally to the point where the pain acts like a scar, which heals but never fully goes away.

    4. It'll leave you breathless

      Going through the entire process of a new relationship and experiencing the moments before, during, and after a break up will leave the guy breathless, maybe because she intends to make it worse for him that he'll make it for her.

    5. We'll take this way too far

      They might end up taking the relationship too far even when it's obvious that things aren't going to work between them. They might even take arguments and fights that they have too far and could end up seriously hurting one another physically or emotionally.

    6. 'Cause we're young and we're reckless

      The two are young and reckless, so she knows that things won't be perfect and/or realistic for them to do in their relationship.This might also signal that they'll be childish and immature.

    7. And you love the game

      She sees the guy she's with now as a player, so she thinks that men like him love to put women through torture and pain by being deceiving or heartless.

    8. 'Cause you know I love the players

      Because of the rumors about her, people know that she has a tendency to be with men who are players and even though it causes her so much hurt, she loves doing it because it probably brings her happiness temporarily.

    9. 'Cause, darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream

      She jealousy has led to her becoming evil towards him and although she looks beautiful and innocent, she's harmful and dangerous (like the rose garden filled with thorns)

    10. But you'll come back each time you leave

      Even though she's being reckless because of her jealousy, she knows that he can't resist coming back because of how good she was to him.

    11. I get drunk on jealousy

      She let the jealousy she feels get to her so deeply that she is figuratively drunk on it and lets it drive every action she has towards him.

    12. "Oh, my God, who is she?"

      The "oh, my God" is supposed to be the dialogue for the man and the "who is she?" is supposed to be the dialogue for her, so maybe the man thinks that she's overreacting while all she's thinking about is the fact that he is cheating on her.

    13. Keep you second guessing like

      She'll make him second guess hurting her or even having a relationship with her in the first place, which is probably why she said that her ex-lovers all think she's insane.

    14. Rose garden filled with thorns

      A rose garden that is filled with thorns will look pretty and innocent, but will hurt to touch or mess with, which is probably the message she's trying to portray.

    15. Screaming, crying, perfect storms

      The screaming, crying, and perfect storms will be what will make things hard for the guy in the relationship. She'll do all of those things in order to make him understand how he hurt her.

    16. Wait, the worst is yet to come, oh, no

      On top of going through the pain of changing who she is, she's willing to make him go through pain also if he deserves it.

    17. Be that girl for a month

      She'll change who she is just for him, but she'll only be like that for a month, so she probably thinks that that's how long the relationship will last.

    18. You're the King, baby, I'm your Queen

      She feels so happy in this relationship that she feels like royalty, and she is right by his side like a queen would be to her king.