FOR YANN TIERSEN [1]

If I were a director

I’d make a movie

about an eccentric composer

who writes music

only for his music box,

and cranks it up

only when the snows arrive in Paris

a tiny music box

with mechanical gears

and a silver key

which is turned and released

animating two lovers

miniscule as your pinky

who circle, holding hands

my childhood held no such toys

and if I’d known

such things existed

not just in stories

I would have regretted

not having such

a music box myself

maybe I wouldn’t

even know about Paris

nevertheless, in dreams

doubtless I’d stumble

on the silver

music of snow-globes

along with all

those other things that are

I still can’t name

Notes

[1] Yann Tiersen (b. 1970) is a French musician and composer. He wrote the film score for the popular film Amélie (2001).

Translated by Askold Melnyczuk