- Poems in Mayan with their Spanish translation
- 1- In K'aba
- My name
- 2- To Yáamaj
- Your love
- 3- At xsum li waam
- My soul mate
- 4- Bin in tzuutz a chi
- I will kiss your mouth
- 5- Tz'utz'a chi tu caapcool hok che
- Kiss your lips by the fence
- 6- Coox c'kam nicte
- Let's go receive the flower
- 7- Kay nicte
- The song of the flower
- 8- U yayah kay h'otzil xmana x'pam oot che
- The mourning song of the poor motherless
- 9- H'kay baltz'am
- The song of the troubadour
- 10- Ch'och'ojLäj Ja '
- Clear water
- References
The poems in Mayan are texts that, like the other lyrical samples, seek to express feelings, ideas, love and philosophical thoughts. The Maya also use poetry to reflect their religious rituals and spiritual values.
Mayan poetry is characterized by musicality. This element is created thanks to the language itself. In particular, vowel sounds (which can be single or double) are involved in the creation of rhythm and time in the work.
Copy of the painting of Bonampak in Chetumal. This is an artist's copy of a mural at the Temple of Murals at Bonampak, a Mayan archaeological site.
There are various compilations of Mayan poems, among which are "The songs of Dzitblaché." This text was written in the 18th century and contains works dating from the 15th century (before the arrival of the Europeans).
You may also be interested in this list of riddles in Mayan.
Poems in Mayan with their Spanish translation
1- In K'aba
In K'abae
tikin o'tel
chi'il chi 'chi'chi'al
u chá'acha'al tumén u dzay máako'ob
Dzok in pitik u nóokil in k'aba '
je bix u podzikúbal kan tu xla only
(…)
In k'abae
cha takan ti 'paalal.
In k'abae
tatak'cha'tan tumén p'ek.
Bejlae mina'an in k'aaba.
Tené aluxén tan in sosok'ik u tzotzel u pool yáamaj.
My name
My name
it is a stuffed skin
that from mouth to mouth is bitten, it is chewed up by people's fangs.
I have stripped myself of the garments of my name
as the serpent sheds its skin.
(…)
My name
It is a gum that children cannot have.
My name has been rejected with contempt.
So I don't have a name anymore.
I am a spirit that plays with the hair of love.
2- To Yáamaj
Mix máak ku yuk'ul tin luuch,
mix máak ku jupik and k'ab ichil in leek
mix máak ku janal tin laak.
A yámae júntuul tzayam kóil peek 'ch'apachtán tumen máako'ob.
Nájil naj ku páatal yéetel u xtakche'il jool naj.
Your laakal máak yojel dzok u chíiken a yáamaj.
Your love
No one drinks from my canteen
no one slides their hand into my bread basket, no one eats from my plate.
Your love is a raging dog that is pushed away by everyone else.
In every house, the doors are closed for you.
And people know that your love has bitten me.
3- At xsum li waam
At xsum li waam, k'ajo 'laatuulanil…
Jo 'jun li mukuy naq narupik
chi ru li loq'laj choxa laach'ool
chan chan tawi 'li tuuxil noq'
ut li xnaq 'laawu nalemtz unk jo'
junaq li ch'ina 'usil uutz' u'uj.
(…)
Ut li waam napsik'ok sa 'xna'aj
naq nakatwil, xb'aan naq maa'ani chik
junaq jo 'laa'at, jo'kan naq nakatinra
ut nank'e e laaloq'al.
My soul mate
My soul mate,
how delicate you are…
like a dove flying
through the sacred sky, your heart
like a cotton button, your eyes shine like
the most beautiful flower.
(…)
My heart jumps in its cage
when he sees you, because there is no one else
like you, and that's why I love you
and I sing praises to you.
4- Bin in tzuutz a chi
Bin in tz'uutz 'a chi
Tut yam x cohl
X ciichpam zac
And an and an au ahal
I will kiss your mouth
I will kiss your mouth
among the cornfield plants, sparkling beauty, you must hurry.
5- Tz'utz'a chi tu caapcool hok che
Tz'a ex a hatz'uutz nokeex;
tz'ooc u kuchul kin h cumec olil;
xeech u tzou tzotzel a pol;
tz'a u lemcech ciichcelmil a nok
tz'a hatz'utz xanaab;
ch'uuicinzah a nuucuuch tuup
your tuple to xicin;
tz'a malob ooch ';
tz'a u keexiloob ax ciichpan caal;
tz'a, uu baakaal
hop men hop tu nak a kab.
t kailbelt caa i laac ciichpameech hebiix maix maace
uay your t cahil, H 'Tz'iitbalcheé.
Kiss your lips by the fence
Put on your beautiful dresses;
that the day of happiness has come:
detangle your hair;
put on your most attractive clothes
and your splendid leather.
Hang tendrils from your lobes.
Put on a good belt.
Decorate your neck with garlands
and put bright ribbons
In your arms.
You will see yourself glorious, Well, there is no one more beautiful
in the city of Dzitbalché.
6- Coox c'kam nicte
Cimaac olailil
so c kayiic
your men bin cah
C'Kam C'Nicte.
Tu lacailil x chuup x loob bayen
chen chehlah chehlameec u yiich
tut ziit u puucziikalil
tut tz'uu u tzem.
Bail x tumen?
take yoheel
t'yolal u tz'iic
u zuhuyil colelil ti u yaacunah
Kayeex Nicteil!
Let's go receive the flower
Let's sing with joy
because we are going to receive the flower.
All the ladies
they wear a smile on their pure faces;
their hearts
jump on her breasts.
Which is the reason?
Because they know
that they will give her virginity
to those they love.
Let the flower sing!
7- Kay nicte
X'ciih x'ciichpan u
tz 'u likil yook kaax;
your bin u hopbal
your chumuc can caan
tux cu ch'uuytal u zazicunz
yookol cab tu lacal kaax
chen cici u tal iik u utz'ben booc.
U tz 'u kuchul
chumuc caan
chen zact'in cab u zazilil
yook your lacal baal.
The song of the flower
The most captivating moon
it has risen in the forest;
it's going to burn
suspended in the center of the sky
to illuminate the land, the forests, to shine on all.
Sweet is the air and the perfume.
Happiness is felt in each person.
8- U yayah kay h'otzil xmana x'pam oot che
Hach chiichanen caa cim in na
caa cim in yum.
Ay ay in Yumen!
Caa t p'at in your kab
t yicnal in laak
miix maac and an t in uay and okol cab.
Ay ay in yumilen!
Cu man cap'el kin
cu cimil ten in laak
tin t'uluch c p'ate in
tin t'uluch hum. Ay ay!
The mourning song of the poor motherless
I was very young when my mother died, when my father died, Ay, ay, my lord!
Raised by the hands of friends, I have no family on this earth.
Ay, ay, my lord!
Two days ago my friends died
leaving me insecure, vulnerable and alone, oh, oh
9- H'kay baltz'am
Kin kuilancail t cah nahlil.
U caah h tip'il t zazilil I kin tut haal caan
t cu bin u bin bey nohol
bai t xaman bey t lakin bey xan t chikin, tumtal u zazil yokol cabilil
eh hook chen tiul tz'iic.
The song of the troubadour
On this day there is a party in the villas.
The dawn is observed on the horizon, South North East West, light comes to earth, darkness goes.
Cockroaches, crickets, fleas and moths
they flee to their homes.
10- Ch'och'ojLäj Ja '
Ri ch'och'ojläj ja 'are' k'aslemal
Rech ri k'aslemal nujel taq 'q'ij
Usipam kanöq qtat chi qech
Uluq'ob'al xuquje nim kumano.
Ri ch'ojch'ojläj ja 'kujutzuqu
Wa quk'ya 'etz'ab'alil re k'aslemal
Kuk'iysaj le che '
Xuquje 'you winäq.
Ch'ojch'ojläj ja 'rech kaj
Ch'ojch'ojläj ja 'rech qtat
Rech le plo xuquje le chü'uti'n täq ja '
Xuquje 'rech unimal loq'b'äl k'u'x.
Clear water
Clear water is life
to be able to live each day.
It is a gift that the creator gives us, his love and great wonders.
Clear water feeds.
It is a symbol of fertility.
Makes plants grow
and to all humanity.
Clear water from the sky.
Clear water from the creator.
Of the seas and streams, and of his immense love.
References
- Briceida Cuevas Cob: Mayan poems. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from zocalopoets.com
- Dzitbalche. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from red-coral.net
- Maya Angelou. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from poemhunter.com
- Mayan poems. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from hellopoetry.com
- Language and Symbolic Representation in Contemporary Mayan. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from revista-filologicas.unam.mx
- Poetry reading in English, Spanish, Mayan. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from yucatanexpatlife.com
- Montemayor, Carlos. Words of the True People. Retrieved on September 26, 2017, from books.google.com