The Puerto Rican Literature Project

Carmelo Rodríguez was born in 1861 and lived in the La Cruz neighborhood of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He passed away in 1895 from tuberculosis. He worked as a cigar maker at the La Incógnita factory while developing his talent as a poet and lyricist. His work, though largely lost, was part of the musical and literary heritage of his time. Rodríguez was connected to the troubadour tradition and wrote songs that reflected both the joy of life and introspection about death. In his final days, affected by illness, he gathered musician friends to perform his compositions. His work was recovered by contemporaries such as Miguel de la Rosa.

Works Cited

Limón de Arce, José. Trovadores populares de Arecibo. Archivo General de Puerto Rico, Instituto de Cultura, San Juan, pp. 2-3. Manuscrito, 1926 (?).