LA ROQUETA

 

Come on, comrades, it's time:

Let's leave the flat earth,

the pampolous vineyards,

the valleys and the seeds

if the top of the mountain

we have to climb, hurry up:

the morning star goes out...

Before breaking the day,

we'll mount these costers.

 

Beautiful hour! the fresh air

has not woken up yet

to ginger up the leaves

the elms and pine forests;

little by little the moon

gets whitish

and the nightingale sings

a cheerful goodbye

from the tamarinds.

Excerpt from La Roqueta​ 

Translated by Carlota Oliva.

(Felanitx, 1853 – Palma, 1909). Mateu Obrador i Bennàssar was a writer, academic and Llullist. He studied Philosophy and Letters in Barcelona where he was a follower of Pons I Gallarza, Rubió I Ors and Milà Fontals. He was actively engaged in the Mallorcan cultural life and collaborated by writing for La Ignorància i La Roqueta. As a Llullist, he was part of the Llullian Publishing Commission in 1900 and his publications provided various European libraries with an insight into the Llullian codex.