The Basics
Taylor Swift’s relationship is in trouble and she is too tired to fix it! Instead of making an effort, “[she’ll] leave [her] window open” and hope that he comes to her.
Literary Device: Diacope
Diacope is the repetition of a phrase with a small number of words in between. Taylor Swift uses diacope in both pre-choruses of Come in with the Rain:
Talk to the wind, talk to the sky / Talk to the man with the reasons why
Talk to yourself, talk to the tears / Talk to the one who put you here
Swift’s repetition creates a catchy rhythm that emphasizes the non-repeated words. Taylor Swift wants him to talk to the wind, the sky, the man with the reasons why, etc. Notably, Taylor Swift does not want him to talk to her until he has an answer: “Let me know what you find.” Swift uses repetition to emphasize that she wants this man to put in some effort to figure out their relationship – without asking her to do it for him.
Analysis
Taylor Swift tells us – in as many ways as she can – that she is done putting an effort into this relationship. Swift is “too tired tonight to call your name” and doesn’t “know what else [she] can say. Swift is too tired to even ”stand up,” indicating “I don’t wanna have to go that far.” Swift is unwilling to speak to him, explain things to him, or even just try to remember the good times: “I could go back to every laugh / But I don’t want to go there anymore.” Swift also hints that she HAS put an effort into this relationship in the past, but that it was not reciprocated: “I’ve got you down, I know you by heart / And you don’t even know where I start.” Taylor Swift is tired of being the only one trying to make this relationship work and she won’t do it anymore.
In the chorus, however, we learn that Taylor Swift is not totally done. Swift sings “I’ll leave the window open… just know I’m right here hoping / That you’ll come in with the rain. Swift wouldn’t go to the effort to open the window, but she isn’t going to close it and leave the room either – even though there’s rain in the forecast. Swift is finished trying to save this relationship, but her window will remain open if he makes the effort. Although leaving a window open is passive, Swift is actively taking the risk that her property will be damaged by the rain and her heart will be damaged by this man.