Patti Smith has responded to Taylor Swift mentioning the legendary singer, songwriter and poet in her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.
After Swift released what turned out to be a secret double album with 15 additional tracks, fans were quick to point out that the "Eras Tour" singer name-dropped Smith in her song “Gloria."
"I laughed in your face and said, 'You're not Dylan Thomas / I’m not Patti Smith / This ain't the Chelsea Hotel / We're modern idiots,'" Swift sings.
On Saturday, April 20, Smith reacted to Swift mentioning her on the album, sharing two black-and-white photos of herself reading a book by Dylan Thomas, her safe-to-be assumed fellow "tortured" poet and writer.
"This is saying I was moved to be mentioned in the company of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas," Smith captioned the post. "Thank you Taylor."
Smith's appreciation and online praise of Swift is not the first time she has mentioned the pop star in a positive light. In a previous 2019 interview with The New York Times , the poet acknowledge that the "Shake It Off" singer is "under tremendous scrutiny all the time, and one can't imagine what that's like."
"It's unbelievable to not be able to go anywhere, do anything, have messy hair," she told the publication at the time. "And I'm sure that she's trying to do something good. She's not trying to do something bad. And if it influences some of her avid fans to open up their thoughts, what does it matter?"
Smith is one of many well-known, famous people to have made it a point to give Swift her flowers publicly in the wake of her album's release.
Post Malone, who is featured on Swift's new single "Fortnight," shared a moving post on X, formerly known as Twitter, thanking the singer for collaborating with him on her new song and accompanying music video.
"It’s once in a lifetime that someone like @taylorswift13 comes into this world," the singer wrote. "I am floored by your heart and your mind, and I am beyond honored to have been asked to help you with your journey. I love you so much. Thank you Tay."
Florence Welch of Florence & The Machine also shared her gratitude in a post on Instagram—the singer is featured on another The Tortured Poets Department song, "Florida!!!"
"Me and my ghosts we had a hell of a time 🖤 @taylorswift13 " she captioned the post. "Honoured to be in this department."
Jack Antonoff of Bleachers also shared a touching tribute to Swift and her new album, on both X and Instagram. The singer, songwriter and producer co-wrote many of the songs featured on The Tortured Poets Department.
"My favorite work we have made together / made in the most wild unhinged moment," he captioned the post, which was accompanied by various behind-the-scenes photographs and videos of Swift recording the album.
"All the pain distilled in this album and all the laughter that came out of it," he continued, "will hold those days in the studio forever as the most inspiring of my life. i adore this album and the way it came together. ttpd FOREVER."
