Image - from the publication Ancient American Poets - Translated and compiled by John Curl ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN POETS
Translated and Compiled by John Curl
The Flower Songs of Hungry Coyote
Nezahualcoyotl sees a vision from Codex Xolotl.
Nezahualcoyotl sees a vision from Codex Xolotl.

(2)
IN XOCHINQUAHUITL

Xiahuilompehua xiahuiloncuican ticuicanitl huiya ma xonahuiacany, onelelquixtilon ypalnemohuani. Yyeo ayahui ohuaya.

Ma xonahuiacani ye techonquimiloa ypalnemohua ye xochimaquiztica netotilo ye nehuihuio-Aya!-moxochiuh-A ohuaya-yao yao ho ama y yehuaya ahuayyao aye ohuaya ohuaya. Ye momamana, ye momana ya in tocuic. Maquizcalitec zan teocuitlacalico moyahuan Xochincuahuitl oo. Ye mohui xohua in zan ye motzetzeloa. Ma in tlachichina quetzaltototl ma in tlachichina in zaquan quecholan. Ohuaya.

Xochincuahuitl timochiuh, timaxelihui, tihuitolihui: o ya timoquetzaco in yehuan. Ixpan timomati tehuan nipapan xochitl. A Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ma oc xon ya tica oc xon cuepontica yn tlalticpac in. Timolinia tepehui xochitl, timotzetzeloa-Yohuaya ohuaya! Ah tlamiz noxochiuh ah tlamiz nocuic yn noconyayehua-Aaya!-zan nicuicanitl. Huia. Xexelihuiya moyahua yaho cozahua ya xochitl za ye on calaquilo zaquan calitic. A ohuaya ohuaya.

Yn cacaloxochitl in mayexochitl-Aya ohuaye!-tic ya moyahua, tic ya tzetzeloa xochincalaytec. A ohuaya ohuaya.

Yyoyahue ye nonocuiltonohua on nitepiltzin niNezahualcoyotl huia nic nechico cozcatl in quetzalin patlahuac ye no nic iximati chalchihuitl. Yaho in tepilhuan. Ohuaya ohuaya. Yxco nontlatlachia nepapan cuauhtli ocelotl, ye no nic yximati chalchiuhtliya in maquiztliya. Ohuaye.

Tiazque yehua xon ahuiacan. Niquittoa o ni Nezahualcoyotl. Huia! Cuix oc nelli nemohua oa in tlalticpac? Yhui. Ohuaye.

Annochipa tlalticpac. Zan achica ye nican. Ohuaye ohuaye. Tel ca chalchihuitl no xamani, no teocuitlatl in tlapani, no quetzalli poztequi. Yahui ohuaye. Anochipa tlalticpac zan achica ye nican. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #20 (16v-17r)

(2)
THE FLOWER TREE

Begin the song in pleasure, singer, enjoy, give pleasure to all, even to Life Giver. Yyeo ayahui ohuaya.

Delight, for Life Giver adorns us. All the flower bracelets, your flowers, are dancing. Our songs are strewn in this jewel house, this golden house. The flower tree grows and shakes, already it scatters. The quetzal breathes honey, the golden flamingo breathes honey. Ohuaya, ohuaya.

You have transformed into a flower tree, you have emerged, you bend and scatter. You have appeared before God's face as multicolored flowers. Ohuaya, ohuaya.

Live here on Earth, blossom! As you move and shake, flowers fall. My flowers are eternal, my songs are forever: I raise them: I, a singer. I scatter them, I spill them, the flowers become gold: they are carried inside the golden place. Ohuaya, ohuyaya.

Flowers of raven, flowers you scatter, you let them fall in the house of flowers. Ohuaya, ohuyaya.

Ah, yes: I am happy, I, prince Nezahualcoyotl, gathering jewels, wide plumes of quetzal, I contemplate the faces of jades: they are the princes! I gaze into the faces of eagles and jaguars, and behold the faces of jades and jewels! Ohuaya ohuyaya.

We will pass away. I, Nezahualcoyotl, say, enjoy! Do we really live on earth? Ohuaya, ohuaya.

Not forever on earth, only a brief time here! Even jades fracture; even gold ruptures, even quetzal plumes tear: Not forever on earth: only a brief time here! Ohuaya, ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #20 (16v-17r)


(7)
MELAHUAC XOPANCUICAME

Talpan temoc in xochitl tlalpan, quitemohuia yn ipalnemohuani zaniman-Yehua!-yectli ya xochitl zaniman-Yehua!-cozahuic xochitla. Ohuaya ohuaya.

In maic neapanalo o antepilhuan anteteuctin ayahue ychoquiz tlatelolotihuitza-Aya!-ca quitemohui yn ipalnemoani zaniman yehua yectli ya xochitl zaniman yehua cozahuic xochitla. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ach tleon i quinequi in toyollo in tlalticpacqui huel teyol quima yn ipalnemoa moxochihuaya ma onnetlanehuilo cozahuic xochitla ca ycahuaca xochitl ayac quicentlamittaz ynic timiquizque. Ahuaye ohuaya.

Intlanel teocuitlatl ma xoyatlatiya intla mochalchiuh mocozqui moquetzal zan tictlanehuico ayac quicentlamittaz ynic timiquizque. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

Yecan tinemico xochipan tinemico. Ach in tocnihuan, oo, ma iuhcan quentetl ma on nemohua. Ohuaya ohuaya.

In ni Yoyo[tzin] ye nican paqui toyollo, tixco timatico yectli totlatol, antocnihuan yca nichico. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Huixahuee ye ninotolinia icnopilotl-Aya!-in anahuiya in ahuellamati, zan nontlatlcoxtinemi in tlalticpac ye nican. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ca ya nihuizoc. In quinequi in noyollo yn imahuizon Tiox ho, ipalnemohuani ye oqui piltihua y nica mahuiztihua tlalticpacqui in teucyotl in tlatocayotl. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #82 (69r)

(7)
A PLAIN SPRING SONG

Flowers descend to earth, Life Giver sends them, sacred yellow flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Let all be adorned, princes, lords. Life Giver sends them, these wailing piles of sacred flowers, these golden flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

What do our hearts want on this earth? Heart pleasure. Life Giver, let us borrow your flowers, these golden flowers, these wailing flowers. No one can enjoy them forever, for we must depart. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

Though they may be gold, you will hide them, though they may be your jades, your plumes. We only borrow them. No one can enjoy them forever, for we must depart. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

O friends, to a good place we've come to live, come in springtime! In that place a very brief moment! So brief is life!

I, Yoyontzin, say, Here our hearts are glad. Friends, we have come to know each other and each other's beautiful words. Yet they are also dark. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Yes, I suffer, grieve, I am joyless, inconsolable on Earth. Ohuaya ohuaya.

I am a hawk. My heart longs for Life Giver God's glory. Here on earth lords are born and they rule through his glory. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #82 (69r)


(8)
ZANLO IN XOCHITL TONEQUIMILOL

Zanlo in xochitl tonequimilol, zanio in cuicatl ic huehuetzin telel a in tlalticpac. Ohuaya ohuaya.

In mach noca om polihuiz in cohuayotl, moch noca om polihuiz in icniuhyotl? In ononya yehua ni Yoyontzin. Ohuaye! On cuicatilo in ipalnemoani. Ohuaya ohuaya!

In ma ya moyol iuh quimati in antepilhuan in ancuaht'anmocelo ah mochipan titocnihuan zan cuel achic nican timochi tonyazque o ye ichan. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Nitlayocoya nicnotlamati-Aya!-zan ni tepiltzin ni Nezahualcoyotl-Huiya!-xochitica ihuan cuicatica niquilnamiqui in tepilhuan in oyaque yehuan Tezozomoctzin ihuan Cuahcuauhtzin. A ohuaya ohuaya.

Oc nelli nemoa in Quenonamican: ma ya niquintoca in tepilhuan. Huiya! Ma niquitquili toxochiuh-Aya!-ma itech nonaci yectli yan cuicatl, Tezozomoctzin ihuan Cuahcuauhtzin. A ohuaya ohuaya.

O aic om polihuiz in moteyo nopiltzin ti Tezozomoctzin. Anca zan ye mocuic. O a ica nihualchoca in zan nicnotlamatico zan tiya ehuan. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Zan nihuallayocoya nicnotlamatia ayoc in ayoc in quenmanian titech ya ittaquiuh in tlalticpac in zan tiya ehuan. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #40 (25rv)

(8)
ONLY FLOWERS ARE OUR ADORNMENT

Only flowers are our adornment, only songs turn our suffering to delight on earth. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Will I lose my friends and companions? Already I have gone, I, Yoyontzin, to the house of song of he who makes the world live! Ohuaya ohuaya.

Let your hearts know, O princes, O eagles and jaguars: not forever will we be friends here: only for a very brief moment and then we all go away to His house. Ohuaya ohuaya.

I am sad, I grieve, I, Lord Nezahualcoyotl, when with flowers and songs I remember those princes who went away, Tezozomoc and Cuacuauhtzin. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Do they live there still in the realm of mystery? If only I could follow after the princes! Let me carry our flowers and begin the beautiful songs next to Tezozomoc! Ohuaya ohuaya.

O my prince Tezozomoc: never will your renown have to end: with a song in your honor I come to suffer and cry: you too have gone away to his house! Ohuaya ohuaya.

I come here to feel the sadness, anguish: never more, oh, never more will you come to see us on earth: you too have gone away to his house! Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #40 (25rv)

(The Tezozomoc addressed in this song is surely not the ruler who ordered his father's death. Tezozomoc was a common name, and the name of a friend and a cousin who died young. On the other hand, the Cuacuauhtzin addressed probably is the same man whose death Nezahualcoyotl caused from love for Azcalxochitzin. Nonetheless, the song seems filled with strange ironies. It must have been composed after 1443, the year of Cuacuauhtzin's death.)


(7)
MELAHUAC XOPANCUICAME

Talpan temoc in xochitl tlalpan, quitemohuia yn ipalnemohuani zaniman-Yehua!-yectli ya xochitl zaniman-Yehua!-cozahuic xochitla. Ohuaya ohuaya.

In maic neapanalo o antepilhuan anteteuctin ayahue ychoquiz tlatelolotihuitza-Aya!-ca quitemohui yn ipalnemoani zaniman yehua yectli ya xochitl zaniman yehua cozahuic xochitla. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ach tleon i quinequi in toyollo in tlalticpacqui huel teyol quima yn ipalnemoa moxochihuaya ma onnetlanehuilo cozahuic xochitla ca ycahuaca xochitl ayac quicentlamittaz ynic timiquizque. Ahuaye ohuaya.

Intlanel teocuitlatl ma xoyatlatiya intla mochalchiuh mocozqui moquetzal zan tictlanehuico ayac quicentlamittaz ynic timiquizque. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

Yecan tinemico xochipan tinemico. Ach in tocnihuan, oo, ma iuhcan quentetl ma on nemohua. Ohuaya ohuaya.

In ni Yoyo[tzin] ye nican paqui toyollo, tixco timatico yectli totlatol, antocnihuan yca nichico. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Huixahuee ye ninotolinia icnopilotl-Aya!-in anahuiya in ahuellamati, zan nontlatlcoxtinemi in tlalticpac ye nican. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ca ya nihuizoc. In quinequi in noyollo yn imahuizon Tiox ho, ipalnemohuani ye oqui piltihua y nica mahuiztihua tlalticpacqui in teucyotl in tlatocayotl. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #82 (69r)

(7)
A PLAIN SPRING SONG

Flowers descend to earth, Life Giver sends them, sacred yellow flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Let all be adorned, princes, lords. Life Giver sends them, these wailing piles of sacred flowers, these golden flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

What do our hearts want on this earth? Heart pleasure. Life Giver, let us borrow your flowers, these golden flowers, these wailing flowers. No one can enjoy them forever, for we must depart. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

Though they may be gold, you will hide them, though they may be your jades, your plumes. We only borrow them. No one can enjoy them forever, for we must depart. Ahuaye ohuaya ohuaya.

O friends, to a good place we've come to live, come in springtime! In that place a very brief moment! So brief is life!

I, Yoyontzin, say, Here our hearts are glad. Friends, we have come to know each other and each other's beautiful words. Yet they are also dark. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Yes, I suffer, grieve, I am joyless, inconsolable on Earth. Ohuaya ohuaya.

I am a hawk. My heart longs for Life Giver God's glory. Here on earth lords are born and they rule through his glory. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #82 (69r)


(10)
NI HUALACIC YE NICAN

Ni hualacic ye nican ye ni Yoyontzin-Huiya!-zan nic xochiehelehuia-Yeehuaya!-nixochintlahtlapanaco ya in tlalticpac ye nican noconyatlapana in cacahuaxochitl, nocon ya tlapana icniuhxochitl. In ye tehua monacayo in ti tepiltzin Nezahualcoyotl teuctli Yohyontzin. Yyao ohuili! Yya ayyo yao ayaha! Yohuaya.

Zan nic ya temohuitihuitz mocuic in yectli, ihuan nic ya temohuia in tocnihuan. Aya! Ma on papacohua yehua icniuhtlamachoya. Ya ohuili! Yya ayyo yao ayaha! Yohuaya.

Achin ic nonahuia o achin ic ompahpactinemi noyollo in tlalticpac. Ye ni Yoyontzin nixochehelehuia oo Nixochincuicuicatinemi. Ya ohuaya ohuaya.

Nic nehnequi nic ehelehuia in icniuyotl in tecpillotl nixochehelehuia oo Nixochincuicuicatinemi. Ya ohuaya.

O anca yuhqui in chalchihuitl-Ohuaya!-zan ca yuhqui in cozcatl in quetzalli patlahuac ipan ye nicmatia yectli ye mocuic-Aya!-ipalnemoani ica nonahuia ica nonnitotiya huehuetitlan oo xopan cala itic in ye ni Yohyontzin. Huiya! Ha noyol quimati. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ma xic huel in tzotzona moxochihuehueuh ticuicanitl. Iyehuaya! Ma izquixochitl in ma cacahuaxochitl in ma on moyahua-Aya!-ma on tzetzelihui ye nican huehuetitlan oo. Ma in tahuiyacan. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Ya zan ca xiuhquechol tzinizcan tlauhquechol oncan on cuicatlatohua ya in xochitl ic paqui. Hoo alilili yao ayyaha ohuaya ohuaya.

A oncan ya ihcac in Xochincuahuitl in huehuetitlan. Ayahue! Zan ye itech on nemi ya in quetzalin quechol in tototl ipan mochiuhtinemi o in Nezahualcoyotzin o in xochitl ic paqui. Hoo alilili yao ayyaha ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #25 (18v-19r)

(10)
I HAVE ARRIVED HERE

I have arrived here, I, Yoyontzin, yearning only for flowers, cutting flowers on the earth, cocoa flowers, cut flowers of friendship, which are your body, O prince. Lord Nezahualcoyotl I am, Yoyontzin. Yyao ohuili yya ayyo yao ayya yohuiya.

I only come bringing your beautiful songs, I carry them down, finding friends. Be joyful here, let your friendship be revealed. Yyao ohuili yya ayyo yao ayya yohuiya.

I take delight a brief time, only fleetingly is my heart glad on earth. I, Yoyontzin: I yearn for flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

I live with flowery songs. I want and desire deep brotherhood, nobility. I yearn for songs: I live in flowery songs. Ohuaya ohuaya.

As jade, as jewels, as a wide plumage of quetzal, I value your song, Giver of Life, with these I take enjoyment, with them I dance between the drums in the flowery house of spring. I, Yoyontzin, my heart enjoys it. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Sound your flower drum beautifully, singer; scatter perfumed corn flowers, chocolate flowers, they are spilled as rain here next to the drums. Let us enjoy them. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Already the long-necked turquoise bird, the black trogon, the red parrot sing and warble there, joyful with the flowers. Yao ayyaha ohuaya ohuaya.

Already the flower tree is raised there next to the drum. The precious red bird is in it: Nezahualcoyotl has become a bird, joyful being with flowers. Yao ayyaha ohuaya ohuaya.

Cantares Mexicanos #25 (18v-19r)


(12)
TEPONAZCUICATL

Titoco titoco titocoti

Niquetzal xochiatototl ilhuizol mana. Aya! Nicuicatl ilhuicatl Anahuac, on nemi-Aya!-noyollo tlacatempan, a nic moyahua ya noxochiuh-Aya!-ica yehua ihuintihua tepilhuan. Oo, nequimilolo, Yaya ye yahao.

Nicnotlamatia, yaya yaha ohua. Zan nentlamati noyol, nicuicanitl chiuhnahuatl itempan xochitlalpan. Ya nicnihuan ma ya huiyelo-Aya! -niquilolo. Ya oncan yehuaya.

Chalchiuhtli ololohuic a nicnocozcatia, nicuicanitl ye nomacehual. Ayehuaya! chalchiuhtli in popoca zan nictimaloa cuicatl -Aya!-quihuinti ye noyol xochintlalticpac on nequimilolo. Ya oncan yehuaya.

Zan noncuica nentlamati in tlalticpac. Aya! Ni cuicanitl, Ohuaye, tan iticpa quiza notlayocol-Aya!-cuicatl. Aya! Quihuinti ye noyol xochintlalticpac on nequimilolo. Ye oncan yehuaya. Aya.

Toltecayotl ye nicuilohuitehuaz, nicuicanitl nocuicayo nemiz a in tlalticpac, cuicatl ica nilnamicoz ohua nipinohuan, niaz nipolihuitiuh cozcatozpetlac ninotecatiuh chochotiaz nononanhuan ixayotl pixauhtiaz notomio oloxochio nitepehui. Cocahuicatl itempan, o ca yehua. Ayahue aya.

Aye aya ohuaye! Nicnotlamati amopinohuan, ihuipetlacotl nihuicaloni canin Tlapalla poctlan tihuatoc. Ompa yan noyaz niyaz nipoliuhtiuh, cozcapetlac ninotecatiuh, chochotiaz nononanhuan.

Cantares Mexicanos #50 (31rv)

(12)
TEPONAZTLI DRUM SONG

Drum: titoco titoco titocoti

I, a quetzal feather, a bird of the flowering water, I flow in celebration. I am a song. In the wide wall of the water, my heart walks on the lips of the men. I am beautifying my flowers; with them the princes become intoxicated. There is adornment. Yayaye yahao.

I suffer, ay, my heart is desolate, I, a poet on the Shore of the Nine Currents. In the world of flowers, take pleasure, all of you, O my friends; already it is time to be adorned. Yahueha.

I put on a necklace of round jades, I, a singer, these are my payments. The jades sparkle, I exalt them in my song. They enrapture my heart. Let all be adorned in this flower world.

When I, a singer, sing on earth, my inner sadness departs. They enrapture my heart. Let all be adorned in the flower world beyond. Yahue aya.

I will leave a work of painted art. I, a singer whose songs will live on earth: with songs I will be remembered, O warriors, I will go away, I will disappear, I will be strewn on a mat of jewels and yellow feathers. The old women will cry for me. Their wails will drain my bones; as a flowery log I will be scattered there on the shore of the doves. Aya ohuaya.

Ayao ata ohuaye. Warriors, I suffer. I'm carried along on a canopy of feathers. In Tlapallan, smoke will disperse. I will go there, I will disappear, strewn on a mat of jewels and yellow feathers.

Cantares Mexicanos #50 (31rv)

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