Welcome back to A Personal Ellenchus! It’s that time of year again here at aPersonalEllenchus.blog. The air is getting that familiar bite, the streets of Grand Rapids are transforming into a massive, interactive canvas, and the energy is electric. ‘Tis the season for ArtPrize.

But as I’m walking downtown, taking in the incredible pieces and dodging the crowds, I can’t help but get a specific song stuck in my head. And I’m going to use a little ellenchus today to prove to you that Taylor Swift’s evermore track, “’tis the damn season,” is secretly set right here in Grand Rapids.

Let’s look at the lyrics.

If I wanted to know who you were hanging with / While I was gone I would have asked you

It’s the kind of cold, fogs up windshield glass / But I felt it when I passed you

This is the quintessential ArtPrize experience, isn’t it? Running into hometown ghosts while you’re just trying to evaluate a massive sculpture downtown. The Michigan autumn cold is creeping in, fogging up your windshield on the drive in, but the nostalgia of seeing an old face hits you immediately.

I parked my car right between the Methodist / And the school that used to be ours

This is the smoking gun. Where exactly is this? Let’s consult the map of downtown GR. First United Methodist Church sits proudly on Fulton Street. And what is directly next door? Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC). If you are parking between the Methodist church and the school, you are standing right on Fulton. The geography is flawless.

But the map doesn’t stop there.

The holidays linger like bad perfume / You can run, but only so far

I escaped it too, remember how you watched me leave

Taylor sings about escaping, and while she means the hometown trap metaphorically, let’s look at what is literally on that exact block. If you are parked on Fulton Street between First United Methodist and GRCC, what building is right there? The Great Escape Room at 233 E Fulton St, tucked inside the Masonic Center. A Methodist church, a community college, and an escape room—all in a neat little row. The lyrical map is complete.

We could call it even / You could call me babe for the weekend

‘Tis the damn season, write this down

So, as we wander around downtown Grand Rapids this weekend, letting the art challenge us and the crisp air wake us up, let’s keep this theory alive. The road not taken looks real good now, and it always leads back to Grand Rapids.

Let’s hope for lots of great art, and maybe—just maybe—a Taylor Swift sighting!