El Rey de Las Flores

Silvio Rodriguez's song "El Rey de Las Flores" is a poetic and metaphorical exploration of a fantastical realm ruled by the titular Flower King. The song opens with the narrator meeting the Flower King, who is described with vibrant imagery, such as a rainbow-colored skin and a paper crown. This introduction sets the tone for a whimsical and surreal journey into a world that exists just beyond the sun, where each inhabitant lives within a flower, and love is omnipresent on every floor of this floral kingdom.

The Flower King's domain is depicted as a lively and industrious place, filled with singing lizards, tiny bees, spiders, slugs, and beautiful birds. This vibrant ecosystem is not just a utopia of nature but also a place of hard work and industry. The Flower King and his subjects labor tirelessly, clearing forests and navigating the fields' water pools. Factories within the earth produce flowers that bloom in spring, unless they are destroyed by a fly's rain, symbolizing the delicate balance of this world.

The song takes a darker turn in its final verse, where the idyllic imagery is shattered by the intrusion of violence. The narrator sees his son in the Flower King's fields, only to hear a voice calling out and witnessing his son being torn apart by a bomb. This sudden shift introduces a stark contrast between the peaceful, industrious life of the Flower King's realm and the harsh realities of the outside world, possibly alluding to the impact of war and violence on innocent lives. Through this poignant ending, Rodriguez highlights the fragility of beauty and peace in the face of destruction.