American Indian
Classical Poetery

WITH FLOWERS YOU WRITE

Written By; Nezahualcoyotl ("Hungry Coyote" of the Axtec nation, 15th Century C.E.)Translation by John Curl


With flowers you write, Giver of life, with songs you give color, with songs you give shades and tints to those who must live on earth. Soon you will destroy the order of eagles and jaguars. Only in your book of pictures do we live here on earth. You blot out what was humanity, community, nobility. Even on a precious throne, in a box of jade, princes can be found hiding: thus are we all mortal, all on earth go to death. No one of emerald, no one of gold will remain: we all go away equally: all must disappear to Life Giver's home. Like a painting we are erased; like a flower we are dried, here on earth. Like garments feathered with quetzal, zacún and bluebird, we go away to Life Giver's home. Sadness walks and wavers with those who cry in vain over eagles and jaguars. So, meditate on this, eagles and jaguars, although you may be jade although you may be gold you too will journey to the fleshless land. We all must disappear, no one will remain.



Flower Song

taken from the Mayan "The Songs of Dzitbalche" thanslated by John Curl


The most beautiful moon has risen over the forest; it is going to burn suspended in the middle of the sky to lighten all the earth, all the woods, shining its light on all things. Sweetly comes the air and the perfume. Happiness permeates all good men. We have arrived inside the woods where no one will see what we have come here to do. We have brought plumeria flowers, chucum blossoms, dog jasmines; we have the copal, the low cane vine, the land tortoise shell, new quartz, chalk and cotton thread; the new chocolate cup, the large fine flint, the new weight, the new needle work, gifts of turkeys, new leather, all new, even our hair bands, they touch us with nectar of the roaring conch shell of the ancients. Already, already we are in the heart of the woods, at the edge of the pool in the stone to await the rising of the beautiful smoking star over the forest. Take off your clothes, let down your hair, become as you were when you arrived here on earth, virgins, maidens.

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