The song is about a broken heart and the painful memories of a past relationship where the singer was left by her ex-partner.
Taylor Swift reflects on how she was left with unrequited feelings and how she is torn by old wounds through unexpected encounters with her ex-partner.
The lyrics show Taylor's efforts to deal with the pain and free herself from the memories, even if it means burning her past.
The song expresses the emotional highs and lows of a broken relationship and addresses the difficulty of letting go and freeing oneself from past loves.
The message of the song's lyrics is that old habits are hard to overcome and the pain of loss can linger for a long time.