Platero and I

Platero and I tells the story of a man and his donkey. They went everywhere together—almost everywhere—and along the way, they talked about simple and profound things, things of the heart. The man did the talking, naturally, but Platero listened attentively and with affection. They lived in a town in Andalusia, near Huelva, called Moguer. Most of the houses there are low and white, with geraniums and carnations in every window. It’s a joyful place, and the air smells of pine, sea, lemon, and orange blossoms. The man was Juan Ramón Jiménez, a poet. The donkey was Platero, and from listening to his owner so often, he became a poet too.