12 great Poems in Nahuatl (translation and meaning)

Throughout history and throughout the world there have been a great variety of peoples and cultures with own characteristics and a way of seeing the world, some of which have formed great civilizations.

Some of them appeared in South America, such as the Maya wave inca, and despite the fact that these civilizations ended up disappearing, they have been able to leave behind samples of their idiosyncrasies. Among them we find the Nahuatl language, which despite the fact that some people believe it has disappeared, continues to have numerous speakers..

As with many of the languages ​​spoken in the world, this beautiful language has been used not only for convey information but to express the inner world and feelings of those who use it in the form of compositions poetic. This article shows a total of twelve poems in Nahuatl, some of them from pre-Columbian times.

• Recommended: "The 30 Best Short Poems (by Famous and Anonymous Authors)"

A dozen Poems in Nahuatl

Below we show you a dozen poems in Nahuatl on various fields, in which different themes can be observed that formed part of the idiosyncrasy and/or history of the ancient inhabitants of Mexico, or of their heirs in the present.

Each of them also has an approximate translation into Spanish., made by various authors.

1. Xon Ahuiyacan (Nezahualcoyotl)

“Ica xon ahuiyacan ihuinti xochitli, tomac mani, aya. Ma on te ya aquiloto xochicozquitl. In toquiappancaxochiuh, tla celia xochitli, cueponia xochitli. Oncan nemi tototl, chachalaca, tlatohua, hahaya hual on quimatli teotl ichan, ohuaya, ohuaya

Zaniyo in toxochiuhica ica tonahuiyacan. Zaniyo in cuicatl, aya icaon pupulihui in amotlaocol. In tepilhuan ica yehua, amelel on quiza, ohuaya, ohuaya Quiyocoya in Ipalnemohua, aya qui ya hualtemohuiya moyocoyatzin, in ayahuailo xochitli, ica yehua amelel on quiza.”

Translation: Rejoice

“Rejoice with the flowers that intoxicate, those that are in our hands. Let the flower necklaces be put on. Our rainy season flowers, fragrant flowers, already open their corollas. The bird walks there, chatters and sings, comes to see the house of the god. Only with our flowers we rejoice. Only with our songs, your sadness perishes.

O gentlemen, with this, your disgust dissipates. The giver of life invents them, the inventor of himself has sent them down, pleasant flowers, with them your disgust dissipates.”

• ANDThis short poem is the work of Nezahualcóyotl, king of Texcoco and one of the oldest and most relevant exponents of pre-Columbian Nahuatl poetry. (Not in vain he was also called the Poet King) who is considered a wise and scholar who studied and reflected on transcendent aspects of reality and life. This fragment is part of the Nahuatl poetry subgenre known as xoxicuícatl or songs to poetry. It is worth noting the fact that in Nahuatl poetry poetry is symbolized by flowers, with which In these poems, reference is made to and reflection on poetry itself every time a poem is spoken of. flower.

2. Ah in Tepilhuan (Nezahualcoyotl)

“Ah in Tepilhuan: ma tiyoque timiquini ti macehualtin nahui nahui in timochi tonyazque timochi tonalquizquee Ohuaya Ohuaya in tlalticpac. Ayac chalchihuitl ayac teocuitlatl mocuepaz in tlalticpac tlatielo timochiotonyazque in canin ye yuhcan: ayac mocahuaz zan zen tlapupulihuiz ti yahui ye yuhcan […] ichan Ohuaya Ohuaya.

Zan yahqui tlacuilolli Aya ah tonpupulihui Zan yuhqui xochitl Aya in zan toncuetlahui ya in tlalticpac Ohuaya ya quetzalli ya zacuan xiuhquecholli itlaquechhuan tonpupulihui tiyahui in ichan Ohuaya Ohuaya. Oacico ye nican ye ololo Ayyahue a in tlaocol Aya ye in itec on nemi ma men chcililo in cuauhtli ocelotl Ohuaya nican zan tipopulihuizque ayac mocahuaz Iyyo. Xic yocoyacan in antepilhuan cuauhtli ocelotl ma nel chalchihuitl ma nel teocuitlatl no ye ompa yazce oncan on Ximohua yehuaya zan tipupulihuizque ayac mocahuaz Iyyo.”

Translation: I perceive the secret

“I perceive the secret, the hidden: Oh you gentlemen! This is how we are, we are mortal, four by four we men, we will all have to leave, we will all have to die on earth. No one in jade, no one in gold will turn: on earth will be kept, we will all go. There, the same way. no one will be left, together we will have to perish, we will go to his house like this.

Like a painting, we will be erasing. Like a flower, we will dry up here on the ground. As a zacuán bird plumage garment, of the beautiful bird with a rubber neck, we will finish, we go home. Approached here, the sadness of those who live inside it turns. Meditate on it, gentlemen, eagles and tigers, even if you were made of jade, even if you will go there, to the place of the emaciated. We will have to disappear, no one will be left.”

• A second poem by King Nezahualcóyotl. In this case we are dealing with a type of poem known as Icnocuícatl or song of anguish, in which the monarch speaks to us of the mortality of the human being, of the fact that we have a limited time and that little by little we will wither until To die.

3. Hitl iztac ihupan ce chichiltic otiquinmecoti ipan nomahuan (Alfredo Ramírez)

“TIaco' motlahuil oniquixmat zan tlaco' oniquixmat ohue oniquitac un tlaco' ihuan xohueloniquitac nochi' tehua' motoca tlahuihli' ica motlahuil otinech-chocti ka motlatzotzonal otinechpacti motlahuil ihuan motlatzotzonal oyecoque nechpactian ihuan nech-choctian aman onazic campa naziznequia mohuan ihuan tonazitoc campa xaca huelazi' pampa umpa nochi' ohuitziohuaca' aman nochi' polihui' ipan in otli' campa nehua' nimohuitiaya' opoliuque huitzcuhte campa nomelahuaya nohui' aman nomelahuan xochime ipan in odi' ihuan nitlacza' innenepantlan xochime nohui' quiyecanan xochime ihuan huizte nocuepan xochime aman xochime iztaque ihuan chichiltique quiyecanan nohui' ihuan ninenemi' ípan inxihuío' aman motlatzotzonal quínpactia xochime íhuan xochime quinmatequia ahuixtli' ihuan motlahuil nechyecana' noxochihuan tehua' tiquimpia' ihuan moxochihuan nehua' niquimpia' love tehua' tiquinmatequia' ica mahuix noxochihuan ihuan moxochihuan ihuan tiquimactia ica motlahuil íhuan mocuicau ihuan tiquínmaltia' ka mahuix pampa oponiton ipan motlalhuan.”

Translation: A white flower and a red one you made them reach my hands

“I met half of your illumination, I have only met half, I was able to appreciate that half and I could not see it complete. You call yourself "light": with your lighting you made me cry, with your music you made me happy; your lighting and your music arrived, they make me happy and make me cry. Now I got to where I wanted to go with you. and you are reaching where no one can reach because there everything had turned into thorns. Now everything is lost on that road, where I was walking; the spinal cords were lost where my path lay. Now the flowers are spread out on that path and I take steps between the flowers. My path is guided by flowers; now the white and red flowers guide my way and I walk on their petals; now your music makes the flowers happy and the flowers are watered by the dew. and your enlightenment guides me. You own my flowers and I have your flowers, now you water them with your dew: my flowers and your flowers. and you make them happy with your lighting and your song, and you bathe them with your dew because they have been reborn through your lands.“

• Modern poem by Alfredo Ramírez, who tells us about love and how it is a source of hope and transformation despite only having partial knowledge of the other.

4. Piltototsin

“Piltototsin, kenke tikuika? Na nikuika pampa niyolpaki, na nikuika pampa nochipa tlanes iuan ta, ¿kenke axtikuika? Piltototsin, kenke tikuika? Na nikuika pampa niyoltok, na nikuika pampa I love nikokojtok, uan ​​ta, kenke ax tikuika? Piltototsin, kenke tikuika? Na nikuika pampa nitlayejyekmati, na nikuika pampa onkaj tonati uan ta, kenke axtikuika?”

Translation: Little Bird

“Parajillo, why do you sing? I sing because I'm happy, I sing because it always dawns and you, why don't you sing? Little bird, why do you sing? I sing because I have life, I sing because I'm not hurt and you, why don't you sing? Little bird, why do you sing? I sing because I see beautiful things, I sing because there is sun, and you, why don't you sing?

• A simple poem or song that expresses the need to take into account and value the little things in our lives, which we normally take for granted and for which we should rejoice.

5. Quinon quixmati' aquinon

“TIeca onimitzixmat tlín tlatlacohli' ticpia'? Xnicmati' tlin nicchiua', not nemiliz tlantoc. Does it have oninemic tla xuel ida nicchiua' ipan in tlalticpactli'? In tlalticpactli' can san noteua' xticmati' tlin ticchiua' uan monemiliz umpaca uan xticnequi' tihquixtiz. Pampa timumuui mamitzihlican tlin melac, aman monemiliz nozotinemi', yoten ka uiztli' icxopalhuan. Aman nochi' uiuitzio ipan moyecmacopa 'unca ce uiztli' ca xuelmitZIlemitia' ¡un uiztli' aquinon yez! tleca' onimitzixmat?

Translation: Who knows whose face

“Why did I meet your face, why do you have to writhe in the fire? I don't know what I'm doing, my life is ending. Why did I come to live if I can't do something on this earth? This world where you yourself don't know what you're doing, but your life is there and you don't want to take it out. Because you are afraid of being told the truth, now your soul in life is thorny, the soles of its feet are already filled with thorns. Now everything is thorny, on your right hand there is a thorn that does not let you live, that thorn, who will it be! why did I know your face?

• This short poem is a modern composition in the Nahuatl language, of complex interpretation, which can tell us both about freedom and uncertainty when it comes to of knowing what to do with our lives as well as of the restlessness that can be generated by the fact of fell in love.

6. Icuic Nezahualpilli and c tlamato huexotzinco (Nezahualpilli)

“Nihuintia ya, yhuintia noyollo: Tiahuizcalla moquetza ya, or tlahtohua ya zaquanquechol chimaltenanticpac, tlacochtenanticpac. Ximocuiltono, ti Tlacahuepan, tinohueyo, quaxomotl, aya quaxomocuextecatl. Zan teoaxochioctla yc yhuintic, ye oncan totoatenpan, aya quaxomotl. And n chalchiuhtli tete yca, quetzalli popoztequi, a nohueyotepilhuanytzin, miquiztlahuanque, and c oncan amillan ypan, atempan mexica and mehetla.

And n quauhtli ya pipitzcan, ocelotl chocatica, tinopiltzin, Macuilmalinalli, zan ye oncan poctlan, tlapallan, yecoyaochihua or yn mexica. In ye o nihuintic, ye nicuextecatl, ye nixochiquaxoxo, nictotoyahua ye xochiaoctli. In ma temacon quetzalocoxochitl, nopiltzin, titlahpaliuhquetl, and n ye nixoxoya. In teotl and mancan, yahue ompozontimani, teoaxochioctica ya ihuinti in mexicame.

Chichimecatl aya noconilnamiqui, zan nichoca and hue. Ic aya onnichoca ya ni Nezahualpilli, noconilnamiqui canin ya mani a ompa ye cueponi a yaoxochitl, and ya noconilnamiqui a can nichoca. Ciliquipan Chailtzin, aytzin, mahuia. Ixtlilcuechahuac yca ye onmahuiztia, quinamoya in quetzalli, patzaconxiuhquiyamoya cuextecatl. Atl ia yxtla, yhtec tlachinolacueyotl, topan yc pozonipilia Ixtlilotoncochotzin, ycan ye mahuiztia, quinamoya y quetzal, and patzaconxiuhquiyamoya. In quetzalaxomotzin ompapatlantia, noxochihueyotzin, and in Tlacahuepantzin, zan quitocan tochin teuctlapaliuhquetl, and in cuexteca meyetla. Aytec or cuica ya, to ontlahtoa and teoaxochitl. And in zan quitlahuana, chachalaca, in quechol pohuan in tecpilli, and in cuexteca meetla. Oyatihuintique notatahuan, tlapalyhuintitly.

Ma nemaytitotil already! Zan ca ye ichan huehuexochihuaque, za quetzalchimaleque, ye tlatileque ya, yolimale ya, anca quimittotia. Ini huatzalhuan huehuexochihuaque, or za quetzalchimaleque. Yezo yahqui nopillotzin, cozahuic cuexteca totec, tzapocueye, Tatlacahuepan motimalohua, and quenonamican. Yaoxochioctica, yhuintitiaquia nopillotzin, cozahuic cuexteca totec. Ye onmahpantia yn teoaxochiaoctli yn Matlaccuiatzin. O cen yahque quenonamican Zannoconyapitza ya yn oceloacaquiquiz, za onquauhtzatziticac in notemalacac, ipan tecpilli. Yahqui ya and huehuehtzin, and chimalli xochioctla yca yhuintihua ye oncan cuexteca, Netotilo ya yn Atlixco Moteoxiuhhuehueuh xictzotzona ya, xochiahacuinta and metl, and moxochicozqui, mahci aztatzonyhua, timotlac ya and tickle. Yayocaque, ye onnemi, xocbiquaxoxome, Y n tlahpaliuhquetl, ocelochimaleque mocuenpani. Zan ye onnentlamati and noyolio, nitlahpalihuiquetl ni Nezahualpil. Zan niquintemoa nachihua, or yahquin teuctli, xochiquetzal, yahqui tlapaliuhquetl, ylhuicaxoxohuic ichan. Tlatohuatzin and Nacapipiyol mach ocquihualya xochiaoctli and ya ye nican nichoca?”

Translation: Song of Nezahualpilli during the war with huexotzinco

“I am intoxicated, my heart is intoxicated: the dawn rises, the zacuán bird already sings over the lined shields, over the zacuán bird over the lined shields. Rejoice, Tlacatehuepan, you, our neighbor, skinhead, like a skinhead from Cuexteca. Intoxicated with liquor from flowery waters there on the edge of the water of the birds, shaved head. The jades and quetzal feathers with stones have been destroyed, my great lords, the intoxicated by death, there in the aquatic cement factories, on the water's edge, the Mexicans, the magueyes. The eagle squawks, the jaguar moans, you, my prince Macuilmalinalli. There in Poctlan, Tlapallan, the Mexicas arrive and wage war. I've already gotten drunk, I Huaxteco, I turn green my flower headdress, again and again I spill the flowery liquor. May the precious flower of the ocote be given, my prince, you, young and strong, I grow green. Again and again I spill the flowery liquor. Where the divine waters extend, there the Mexicas are enraged, intoxicated with the flowery liquor, I remember the Chichimeca, I only cry.

For this I cry, I Nezahualpilli, I remember him, where is he? The flowers of war bloom there, I remember, I only cry. Chailtzin is shocked. Ixtlilcuecháhuac exalts himself with this, he seizes the quetzal feathers. The intoxicated Huaxteco takes possession of the precious stones. In the water, on the plain, there are searing waves above us, Prince Ixtlilotoncochotzin is inflamed, with this he exalts himself, seizes the quetzal feathers, the huaxteco takes possession of the precious stones drunk. The duckling with fine feathers is fluttering, my great flourish, Tlacahuepantzin. They only follow the rabbit, the young and strong man, the Huaxtecos, ah. Inside the water he sings, he gurgles, he comes out, the aquatic flower intoxicates him, those who are like the quechol, the prince, the Huaxtecos squawk, ah. We have gotten drunk, my parents, drunkenness of force, let there be a dance, in the house of those who have flowery drums, those who have precious shields. Those who have the mounds are coming, the one who has made captives. They make the owners of ruined houses dance. The owners of the flowery drums, those with precious shields. My prince is bloodied, our lord, golden Huaxteco, the one with the sapodilla skirt, Tlacahuepan is covered with glory in Quenonamican.

With the flowery liquor of war my prince, our lord, golden Huaxteco, the one with the sapodilla skirt, was intoxicated, Tlacahuepan is covered with glory in Quenonamican. They are already dressed, the flowery liquor of war, they are Matlaccuiatzin and Tlacahuepan, together they went to Quenonamican. With divine water on the torso is painted, my great, my prince Nezahualpilli, with flowery liquor of shields the Huaxtecs got drunk there. There is dancing in Atlixco. I blow my trumpet, my jaguar reed, the eagle squawks on my round stone. The nobleman has gone, the old man, with flowery liquor of shields, the Huaxtecs get drunk there.

There is dancing in Atlixco. Make your turquoise drum resonate, intoxicated with flowery water, your necklace of flowers, the one with the plume of heron feathers, you have painted your back. They already hear it, they already live, those with the flowery skinheads, robust and strong young man. Those with jaguar shields return. Only my heart grieves, I, a strong and robust young man, I Nezahualpilli, look for them. Mr. Axochiquétzal left, the strong and robust young man went to his house in the blue sky, Mr. Acapipiyol, does he drink the flowery liquor? That's why I cry here."

• This poem is attributed to Nezahualpilli, the son and successor in the government of Texcoco de Nezahualcóyotl. It is the only poetic work of this tlatoani (king) that has survived, and in it we can see the lamentation made by the ruler of the cost of the war with another region: the blood and the loss of lives.

7. Cacamatzin icuic (Cacamatzin)

“In antocnihuané, tla oc xoconcaquican: ma ac azo ayac in tecunenemi. cuanyotl, cocolotl, ma zo ilcahui, ma zo pupulihui, yeccan tlalticpac. No zan noma nehuatl, nech on itohua in yalhua, tlachco on catca, conitohua, cinilhuiya: Ach quen tlatlaca? Ach quen tlatlamati? Ac zan ninomati, Mochi conitohua, an in anel in tlatohua tlaticpac. Ayahuitzin moteca, ma quiquiztla in ihcahuaca, nopan pani tlalticpac. Tzetzelihui, mimilihui, yahualihui xochitli, ahuiyaztihuitz or tlalticpac. Or ach, yuhqui nel ye ichan, totatzin ai, ach in yuhqui xoxopan in quetzalli, ya xochitica on tlacuilohua, tlalticpac ye nican ipalnemohuani.

Chalchiuh teponaztli mimilintocan, on chalchiuhtlacapitzohuayan, in itlazo teotl, to in ilhuicahua, ihui quecholicozcatl huihuitolihui in tlalticpac. Cuicachimal ayahui, tlacoch quiyahui tlalticpac, in nepapan xochitli on yohuala ica, and tetecuica in ilhuicatl. Teocuitla chimaltica ye on técuitlo. Zan niquitohua, zan ni Cacamatzin, zan niquilnamiqui in tlatohuani Nezahualpilli. Cuix on motta, cuix om monotza in Nezahualcoyotl Huehuetitlan? Nor quim ilnamiqui. Ac nel ah yaz? In chalchihuitl, teocuilatl, mach ah ca on yaz? Cuix nixiuhchimalli, oc ceppa nozaloloz? In niquizaz? In ayatica niquimilolo? Tlalticpac, Huehuetitlan, Niquim Ilmamiqui!”

Translation: Songs of Cacamatzin

“Our friends, listen to him: let no one live with the presumption of royalty. The furor, the disputes be forgotten, disappear in good time on earth. Also to me alone, recently they told me, those who were in the ball game, said, murmured: Is it possible to act humanely? Is it possible to act discreetly? I only know myself. Everybody said that, but nobody says the truth on earth.

The mist spreads, the snails resound, above me and the whole earth. Flowers rain, they intertwine, they make turns, they come to give joy on earth. It is in truth, perhaps as our father works in his house, perhaps as the plumage of a quetzal in time of greenery with flowers is nuanced, here on earth is the Giver of life. In the place where the precious drums sound, where the beautiful flutes of the precious god, of the owner of the sky, are heard, necklaces of red feathers tremble on earth. The mist envelops the edges of the shield, rain of darts falls on the earth, with them the color of all the flowers is darkened, there is thunder in the sky. With shields of gold there is the dance.

I just say, I, Cacamatzin, now I only remember Mr. Nezahualpilli. Do they see each other there, do they dialogue there he and Nezahualcóyotl in the place of the drums? I remember them now. Who really will not have to go there? If it's jade, if it's gold, won't it have to go there? Am I perhaps a turquoise shield, once again like a mosaic I will be embedded again? Will I come out on earth again? With fine blankets will I be shrouded? Still on the ground, near the place of the drums, I remember them.”

• This work is from Emperor Cacamatzin, Moctezuma's nephew and King of Texcoco that he died like his uncle at the hands of the Spaniards shortly before the so-called Noche Triste (defeat of Cortés on the outskirts of Tenochtitlán). In this poem we observe how the king speaks with melancholy of his father and grandfather, the previous kings Nezahualpilli and Nezahualcóyotl, and their restlessness and restlessness in the face of the imminent battles.

8. Oquicehui quiautli notliu (Alfredo Ramírez)

“Opeu xopaniztli ihuan tlacame pehuan tequipanohuan pehua' xopaniztli ihuan pehua' quiahui' nochime tlacame yahue' ihuan tequipanohuan cuican inau cuican intlaxcal ihuan tehua' ticuica' zan ce' tlaxcahi' love oecoc xopaniztli ihuan opeu quiahui' quiahui' catonahli quiahui' cayehuali love nochi' cuhxiuhtli ihuan cuhte pehuan itzmolinin ihuan nochime in yopilincan opeu quiahui' ihuan xopaniztli aman nochi' xoxohuia' ihuan tlacame tlacuan itlampa cuhte in tlacame tlatlatian itlampa cuhte quiahui' ihuan tlacame quicuan tlaxcahli cecee pampa quiautli oquincecehuili intliu quiautli' oquicecehui nochi' tecohli' ihuan tehua' oticcehui notliu quiahui' quiahui' ihuan quiautoc ihuan cocone nahuiltian itlampa quiautli' cocone nopaltilian itlampa quiautli' nochime tlacame tequipanohuan ihuan cocone nohuapahuan love tehua' ihcon timohuapahua' quiautli' nochi' cue quihuapahua' ihuan nochi' hue quicehuia' quen tehua' nochi' hue tic-huapahua' ihuan nochi' huelticcehuia' opeu xopaniztli ihuan opeu quiahui' ihuan nochime tlacame opeu tequipanohuan quiautli' nochi' oquicehui ihuan nochi' oquixoxohuili aman nochi' xoxohqui' ihuan nochi' ceutoc ihuan tehua' oticcehui notliu.”

Translation: the rain put out my campfire

“The rainy season began and the men began to work. The rainy season begins and it begins to rain: all the men go to work, they carry their drinks, they carry their tortillas, and you carry only one tortilla. Now the rainy season began and it began to rain: it rains during the day, it rains at night. Now every sapling and tree begin to turn green and all of them were already withered; it started to rain and the rainy season began, now everything is green again. and the men eat under the trees and the men build their fire under the trees. It rains and the men eat cold tortillas, because the rain put out their fires; The rain put out all the embers and you put out my fire. It rains, it rains and it's raining and the children play in the rain, the children get soaked in the rain. All the men work and the children are raised; now, you, that's how you unfold; the rain can breed everything and everything can turn off. Like you, who can make everything unfold and you can turn it all off. The rainy season began and it began to rain and all the men began to work. The rain extinguished everything and everything turned green; now everything is greened and everything is off; you have put out my fire.”

• This modern poem by Alfredo Ramírez tells us about the rain, which the author uses as a symbol to identify someone who, despite the fact that he has turned everything green, has managed to put out his flame.

9. Itlatol temiktli (Tecayahuatzin)

“Auh tokniwane, tla xokonkakikan in itlatol temiktli: xoxopantla technemitia, in teocuitlaxilotl, techonitwuitia tlauhkecholelotl, techoncozctia. In tikmati ye ontlaneltoca toyiollo, toknihuan!”

Translation: Dream of words

“Friends, please hear this dream of words!: in spring time the golden bud of the cob gives us life: it gives us refreshment the tender red cob, but it is a rich necklace that we know that the hearts of our friends are faithful to us friends."

• Friendship is an asset appreciated by most cultures in the world, as can be seen in this poem by the ruler of Huexotzinco, Tecayehuatzin, in pre-Hispanic times.

10. In xochitl, in cuicatl (Ayocuan Cuetzpaltzin)

“Ayn ilhuicac itic ompa ye ya huitz in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl. Conpoloan tellel, conpoloan totlayocol, and tlacahzo yehuatl in chichimecatl teuctli in Tecayehuatzin. yca xonahuiacan! Moquetzalizquixochintzetzeloa in icniuhyotl. Aztacaxtlatlapantica, ye on malinticac in quetzalxiloxochitl: ymapan onnehnemi, conchihchichintinemih in teteuctin, in tepilhuan. Zan teocuitlacoyoltototl: or huel yectlin amocuic, huel yectli in anquehua. Anquin ye oncan and xochitl yiahualiuhcan. And xochitl ymapan amoncate, yn amontlahtlahtoa. Oh ach anca tiquechol, in Ipalnemoa? Or ach anca titlatocauh yehuan teotl? Achtotiamehuan anquitztoque tlahuizcalli, amoncuicatinemi. Maciuhtia or in quinequi noyollo zan chimalli xochitl, in ixochiuh Ipalnemoani. Who conchiuaz noyollo yehua? Onen tacico, tonquizaco in tlalticpac. Zan ca iuhquin onyaz in or ompopoliuhxochitla? An tle notleyo yez in quenmanian?

An tle nitauhca yez in tlalticpac? Manel xochitl, manel cuicatl! Who conchihuaz noyollo yehua? Onentacico, tonquizaco in tlalticpac. Man tonahuiacan, antocnihuan, ma onnequechnahualo nican. Xochintlalticpac, Ontiyanemi. And e nican ayac quitlamitehuaz in xochitl, in cuicatl, in mani a ychan Ipalnemohuani. And n zan cuel achitzincan tlalticpac, Oc no iuhcan quenonamican? ¿Cuix oc pacohua? Icniuhtihua? Auh yn amo zanio nican tontiximatico in tlalticpac?”

Translation: The flowers and the songs

“From inside the sky come the beautiful flowers, the beautiful songs. Our longing makes them ugly, our inventiveness spoils them, unless they are those of the Chichimeca prince Tecayehuatzin. With his, rejoice! Friendship is rain of precious flowers. White strands of heron feathers are intertwined with beautiful red flowers. in the branches of the trees, under them the lords and the nobles walk and drink. Your beautiful song: a golden rattle bird, you raise it very beautiful. You are in a flower enclosure. On the flowering branches you sing. Are you perhaps, a precious bird of the Giver of life? Have you spoken to God? As soon as you saw the dawn, you have begun to sing. Strive, love my heart, the flowers of the shield, the flowers of the Giver of life. What can my heart do? In vain we have come, we have sprouted on earth. Is it the only way I have to go like the flowers that perished? Will nothing remain of my name?

Nothing of my fame here on earth? At least flowers, at least songs! What can my heart do? In vain we have come, we have sprouted on earth. Let's enjoy, oh friends, there are hugs here. Now we walk on the flowery land. No one will make the flowers and songs end here, they endure in the house of the Giver of life. Here on earth is the region of the fleeting moment. Is it also like that in the place where you somehow live? Is one happy there? Is there friendship? Or only here on earth have we come to know our faces?

• In this poem Ayocuan Cuetzpaltzin, a pre-Columbian poet who lived during the fifteenth century, tells us clearly about one of the issues that has concerned humanity since its inception: the brevity of life and the inevitability of death, as well as the concern that we will leave nothing behind.

11. Macuilxochitzin Icuic (Macuilxochitzin)

“A nonpehua noncuica, nor Macuilxochitl, zan noconahuiltia or a in ipalnemoa, yn maconnetotilo – ohuaya, ohuaya! Quenonamican, can or ye ichan im a itquihua in cuicatl? Ic zanio nican and izca anmoxochiuh? In ma onnetotilo – ohuaya, ohuaya! Temomacehual matlatzincatl, Itzcohuatzin: In Axayacatzin ticmomoyahuaco in altepetl in Tlacotepec – a ohuaya! Or ylacatziuh ya ommoxochiuyh, mopapaloouh. Ic toconahuiltia. In matlatzincatl, in Toloca, in Tlacotepec – a ohuaya. Ayaxca ocontemaca in xochitlaihuitla ypalnemoa – ohuaya. In quauhichimalli in temac, ye quimana – ohuican ouihua, yan tlachinolli itic, yxtlahuatl itic – ohuaya, ohuaya. In neneuhqui in tocuic, neneuhqui in toxochiuh, can tiquaochpan, in toconahuiltia ypalnemoa – ohuaya, ohuaya. In quauhxochitl in momac ommani, Axayacatzin.

In teoaxochitl, in tlachinolxochitl ic, yzhuayotimani, yca yhuintihua in tonahuac onoca – ohuaya, ohuaya. Topan cueponi – a yaoxochitl – a, in Ehecatepec, in Mexico – ye ohoye ye huiloya yca yhuintihua in tonahuac onoc. Za ye netlapalolo in Tepilhuan, in Acolihuaque, an Antepaneca – Ohuaya, Ohuaya. In otepeuh Axayaca nohuian, Matlatzinco, Malinalco, Ocuillan, Tequaloya, Xohcotitlan. Nican ohualkizaco. Xiquipilco oncan oquimetzhuitec ce otomitl, and plays Tlilatl. Auh yn oahcico, quimilhui ycihuahuan: – Xitlacencahuacan in maxtlatl, in tilmatli, anquimacazque amoquichui. Oquinenotzallan: – Ma huallauh yn otomitl, yn onechmetzhuitec! Momauhtihtica yn otomitl, quittoa: Anca ye nechmictizque! Quihualhuica in huepantli, in tlaxipehualli in mazatl, ic quitlapaloco in Axaya. Momauhtitihuitz. Auh zan oquitlauhtique yn icihuahuan Axayaca.”

Translation: Song of Macuilxochitzin

“I raise my songs, I, Macuilxóchitl, with them I rejoice the Giver of life, let the dance begin! Where does one exist in some way, do they take the songs to His house? Or are your flowers only here? Let the dance begin! The matlatzinca is your merit of people, Mr. Itzcóatl: Axayacatzin, you conquered the city of Tiacotépec! There your flowers, your butterflies went to make turns. With this you have caused joy. The matlatzinca is in Toluca, in Tlacotépec. He slowly makes an offering of flowers and feathers to the Giver of Life. He puts the shields of the eagles on the arms of men, there where the war rages, in the interior of the plain. Like our songs, like our flowers, like this, you, the shaven-headed warrior, give joy to the Giver of life.

The flowers of the eagle remain in your hands, Mr. Axayácatl. With divine flowers, with flowers of war it is covered, with them the one who is by our side gets drunk. The flowers of war open over us, in Ehcatepec, in Mexico, whoever is next to us gets drunk with them. The princes have been daring, those of Acolhuacan, you Tepanecas. Everywhere Axayácatl made conquests, in Matlatzinco, in Malinalco, in Ocuillan, in Tequaloya, in Xohcotitlán. This is where he came out. There in Xiquipilco, Axayácatl was wounded in the leg by an Otomi, his name was Tlilatl; He went to look for his women, he told them: "Prepare him a truss, a cape, you will give it to him, you who are brave. Axayácatl exclaimed:-" Let the otomi come who he has wounded me in the leg!" The otomi was afraid, he said:- "In truth they will kill me!" He then brought a thick wood and the skin of a deer, with this he bowed to Axayacatl. The Otomí was full of fear. But then his women made a plea to Axayácatl for him."

• Although there were probably multiple exponents of poems written by women in pre-Columbian times, there are few recognized poetesses. An example was Macuilxochitzin, daughter of the royal adviser Tlacaélel and born at the time of the expansion of the Aztecs. A poem of her is preserved, which on the one hand speaks to us and extols the war victories of her father and her people and on the other lets us see details such as the requests for mercy to King Axayácatl by a group of women managed to save the life of a captain (of the Otomi people) who hurt him.

12. Tocahn in xochitlah

“Tocahn in xochitlah, ye in huecauh Mexihco Tenochtitlán; cuacan, yeccan, otechmohual huiquili Ipalnemohuani, nincacata totlenyouh, tomahuizouh intlatic pac. Tochanpocayautlan, nemequimilolli in altepetl and in axcan Mexihco Tenochtitlán; tlahuelilocatiltic tlacahuacayan. Cuixoc huel tiquehuazqueh nican in cuicatl? nican otech mohualhuiquili Ipalnemohuani, nican cacta totlenyouh, tomahuizouh in tlalticpac.”

Translation: Our house, flower enclosure

“Our house, flower enclosure, with rays of sun in the city, Mexico Tenochtitlán in ancient times; good, beautiful place, our abode of humans, the giver of life brought us here, here was our fame, our glory on earth. Our house, smoke fog, shroud city, Mexico Tenochtitlán now; crazy place of noise can we still raise a song? The giver of life brought us here, here was our fame, our glory on earth.”

• A short poem that extols the land where the Mexicans and Aztecs lived, centered on the city on Lake Texcoco.

Bibliographic references:

• Garibay, K. and Baptist, J. (1965). Nahuatl poetry: Romances of the lords of New Spain, manuscript by Juan Bautista de Pomar, Tezxcoco, 1582. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of History, Seminary of Nahuatl Culture.

• Leon-Portilla, M. (1979), Nezahualcoyotl, poetry and thought. Editorial Books of Mexico.

• Leon-Portilla, M. (1978). Thirteen poets of the Aztec world. Mexico: National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of Historical Research.

• Ramirez, A. and Nava, F. (translation) (s.f.). Poems in Nahuatl.