Opazoval je svet: An Anthology of Contemporary Catalan Literature

“He was observing the world. The sky was cloudy, faded,
an autumn sky without swallows. On the pavement before him
lay a pile of rubbish. As he calmly chewed his bread, he noticed
a bundle of dried flowers, in the middle of which still stood out
a fresh, dark red carnation; he saw cabbage and lettuce leaves, leek
stalks, and a few split tomatoes, their shining white seeds spilling out.
He felt the urge to gather them up and place them into an empty
matchbox he carried in his pocket; then he would plant them in a
small pot and put it on the balcony. But because of his sleepless
night, he was too lazy. With his thumb he carved a hole in
the bar of chocolate.”

In Rodoreda’s sketch, the description of seemingly insignificant
details captures the pulse of Mediterranean bustle. Amid the vibrant
rhythm, there is always a trace of sadness, but nothing can destroy
beauty, the desire for life, the will to transform the world. Thus,
sadness here is not disappointment or helplessness, but a fertile
space from which the urge for expression and transformation grows.
Catalan culture is such a dark red carnation, resisting somehow amid
the ruins of a world that is no longer easy to believe in. Therefore,
gather the seeds from among the rubbish, keep them in a matchbox,
as the mischievous Quimet would do, and surely they will sprout at
the most unexpected opportunity!