The poem "Ballad of the Moon, Moon" opens Federico García Lorca's collection Romancero gitano, 1924-1927 and establishes key motifs such as the mystical presence of the moon. The moon's allure and interaction with humanity are depicted in a gypsy smithy where a little boy encounters her enchanting dance. This narrative weaves themes of myth, innocence, and the supernatural, marking the beginning of Lorca's exploration of gypsy life and folklore.

The Enchantment of the Moon

In the poem, the moon materializes in a blacksmith's shop, dressed in a semblance of femininity with a "bustle of white lilies," reflective of her ethereal whiteness. She engages in a captivating dance before a young boy, who has been left to his own devices in the shop. The hypnotic rhythm of García Lorca’s verse, bolstered by rhyme and repetition, illustrates the boy's mesmerized state: "The boy stares and stares at her./ The boy keeps staring hard." The child's enchantment reaches a peak as he urgently warns the moon of the returning gypsies, who might ‘chop her up for necklaces and silver rings.’ His repeated plea, "Run away, moon, run away, moon," carries a rhythmic incantation, underlining the urgency of his warning.

The Moon’s Defiance

Despite the boy’s warnings, the moon remains unperturbed, prophesying instead that when the gypsies arrive, they will discover the boy asleep on the anvil with "tiny eyes shut." The boy, unable to resist the moon's pull, inches closer to her. Meanwhile, the sound of a galloping horse echoes across the plains, symbolizing an impending doom as the boy succumbs, his eyes closing in the smithy. The moon’s departure is heralded by the sound of hooves, a harbinger of death.

The Gypsies’ Lament

As the gypsies weave back through the olive groves, their faces bronzed and entranced by the moon’s light, they find their world altered. An owl’s mournful hoot accompanies the moon as she ascends the sky, hand in hand with the boy's spirit. His physical form remains lifeless in the smithy, while his soul journeys with the celestial body. The gypsies, upon discovering the tragedy, express their grief with cries and laments. Outside, the air too becomes a part of this tableau, enveloping them in its gentle embrace.

Mythological Resonance

Lorca draws on classical mythology, echoing tales where the moon descends to captivate and carry off a young mortal. This motif recalls the tale of Endymion, the beautiful shepherd whom the moon goddess Selene adored. Through this poetic fusion, Lorca constructs a new mythology for the gypsies, intertwining ancient myths with Andalusian cultural elements. His work reimagines these stories, embedding them in the contemporary context of his own cultural landscape.