Day 309: If Music

If Music
by
Matt Zurbo

 

(Cover. Kid old school gramophone under one arm, walking up floating musical notes as if they were stairs. Big creature at the top playing a ukulele.)

Sometimes I like to play the If game.
(Kid head lowered in shower.)

If music were a person it would teach me a new language.
(Teen with guitar, wearing a musical notes jacket, speaking in music notes. Kid answering in very rough music notes.)

With that new language I could talk to people in ways I never could before.
(Kid beside old school gramophone, which is playing. Old couple smiling knowingly.)

And listen to them, even if I didn’t understand a word.
(Arabic kid playing a sitar. Main kid watching, smiling.)

If music were a bird, it would lend me its wings.
(Kid’s face, smiling, listening to blue chested wren sing.)

Oh, I could fly with it…!
(Kid drifting/flowing up, with wings, banjo in hands.)

Oh, I could roam!
(Playing a clarinet while sitting on the back of a walking wombat.)

If music was in my bones, it would make me stomp my feet.
(One man band using puppet controls to make kid happily stomp his feet.)

I’d see the world different,
(Kid standing on left, four musicians lined up across page, playing. He is watching girl on other side of them.)

hear the world different,
(Kid playing drums, next to worker, man or woman, with jackhammer.)

and not care what people think.
(Two kids dancing, while others turn heads.)

If music was in my bones, it would be my safe place when life got hard.
(Sitting on floor, head lowered, with earphones on, attached to a laptop.)

It would give me dozens of good moments, for no reason at all.
(Kid walking, smiling, while above, another kid plays sax from their second story window.)

Other than for music.
(Kid with symbols standing opposite other kid with keyboard. Musical instruments on floor all around them.)

We would parade down the street.
(Five or six kids proudly dancing down the street. People in suits turning heads, other kids smiling at them.)

If music were a gift, it would take us places.
(Sailing in a one-man yacht, out to sea, with transistor.)

Amazing places.
(Kid dancing under mighty, black storm.)

Big and small.
(Kid walking, head down, smiling, earphones on.)

It would be our victory speech!
(Person with musical notes jacket playing a guitar, is giving main kid a shoulder ride. Main kid is singing, big smile, into megaphone.)

And sometimes carry me to sleep.
(Kid in bed, in dark, smiling as music notes and steam rise of their sleeping head. Friendly monster in the middle of the steam playing the ukulele.)
If…

I think I’ll learn the trombone…
(Kid, head lowered, in the shower.)

 

 

The End