Ovidi Montllor

tan humil que d'una cortina vella
una samarreta en feren. Vermella.

D'ençà, per aquesta samarreta,
no he pogut caminar ja per la dreta.
He hagut d'anar contracorrent
perquè jo no sé què passa
que tothom que el ve de cara
porta el cap topant de terra.

D'ençà, per aquesta samarreta
no he pogut sortir al carrer,
ni treballar al meu ofici, fer de ferrer.
He hagut de en el camp guanyar jornals,
ai, si la gent ja no em veia,
jo treballava amb la corbella.

I dintre de tots els mals,
sé treballar amb dues coses:
amb el martell i la corbella.
Gairebé no comprenc perquè la gent
quan em veia pel carrer
em cridava: Progressiste!
Jo crec que tot això era promogut pel seu despiste.

Potser un altre en les meves circumstàncies
ja hagués canviat de samarreta.
Però jo que m'hi trobe molt bé amb ella,
perquè abriga, me l'estime,
i li pregue que no se me faça vella.

I’m the son of a very poor family
so poor that from an old curtain
I was made a red shirt.

Since then, because of this shirt
I haven't been able to walk on the right,
I’ve had to walk against the current,
because I don’t know what's going on,
but everyone I pass on the street
is looking at their feet

Since then, because of this shirt
I haven't been able to go out on the streets
nor find work in my profession, working as a blacksmith
I’ve had to earn money in the fields
That way, people didn't see me;
I worked with a sickle

And within all the evils
I know how to work with just two things:
my hammer and my sickle.
I just can't understand
why people who would see me on the street
would yell after me: Progressive!
I think it must all have been a result some confusion.

Maybe someone else in my circumstances
would have already changed their shirt
But I find it very comfortable,
it keeps me warm, and I love it.
And I pray for it not to get old.