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.