Post-Conquest Poetry

Aztec poetry underwent some significant changes post-conquest. Ideas surrounding authorship shifted, and songs started to include Catholic deities among other changes. The first poem featured describes Cortez’s arrival in Tenochtitlan, and “the Mexicans are forced to pour out their water for the invaders, and here water becomes a metaphor for the entire culture (Damrosch).” The second poem describes the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent).

Excerpt from Water-Pouring Song (Atequilizcuica)

There were plume willows at the turquoise-green waters in Chapolco. We Mexicans had reached

jade water’s flowing-out place. Ah! And the waters are His, and He drinks the, it’s true. Drinks

them, it’s true. And ah, this Mexico arrives in that Chapolco yonder. Aya!

It resembles that time of our utmost eagerness when we Mexicans set out from Acocoloco to

reach this place that is here. And ah, the waters are His, and He drinks them, it’s true.

When the Captain arrived in Mexico and Montezuma went out to meet him, then he got down

from his horse; and he adorned him with a gold necklace, spoke to him, and embraced him. And

the waters are His, and He drinks them, it’s true.

And right away he says to him. “You’ve wearied yourself in reaching your city, this Mexico. You’ve

come to govern your mat and your seat. For but a moment and a day I’ve tended things for you.

Poor is your vassal.” He speaks to him, embraces him. And the waters are His, and He drinks

them, it’s true.

Now woe! He gives off smoke! This is how he enters, this conquistador, this Capitan. Now all the

lords are yet alive: Commander Atlixcatzin and the troop chief Tepehhuatzin. And as these

princes come forth pouring water, Mexico is handed over. Oh! the waters are His, and He drinks

the, it’s true.

“We who’ve come to the Water’s Midst to marvel are Tlaxcalans: Mexican princes are pouring out

their waters!” Lord Montezuma’s hauling vats of water. And the city passes in, ensconced in

water-whorl flowers. Thus mexico is handed over Oh! the waters are His, and He drinks the, it’s

true.

Iye! The lady María comes shouting. María comes saying, “O Mexicans, your water jars go here!

let all the lords come carrying.” And Acolhuacan’s Quetzalacxoyatl arrives. And Cuauhpopoca. Oh!

the waters are His, and He drinks them, it’s true.

They’ve been ruined with water hauling, and they’re smoking— Nczahualquentzin and the troop

chief Tepehuatzin. It’s because we Mexicans are hauling water. And the waters are His, and He

drinks them, it’s true.

And so they’re flowing. Indeed the ruler Montezuma himself comes forth to pour one out. As

roseate-swan flowers, as flower shoots, as trogons, as pine flowers, would he go off whirling his

garlands: thus he glorifies Tenochcans. Oh! the waters are His, and He drinks them, it’s true.

Oh never would or water pitchers be destroyed. These broad ones, these turquoise gems, are

strewn as gold. Ensconced in roseate-swan hand-flowers, he’s moved on to You. Shattered, he’s

moved on to Water’s Midst, where whaters and the navel lie: and so he glorifies Tenochcans. Oh!

the waters are His, and He drinks them, it’s true.

  • Atequilizcuica

    Yao qui nelli qui nelli ahanahaya nican in Mexico oncã chapolco yeco ayan. Tzo telco yhuihuion inic tõquizque acocoloco nican inic tonahicico yn timexicameh ayahue yauh qui nelli Et.

    Yinc ona’ciao in Capitan in Mexico hoo ic quinamiquito Montecçomatzin. Niman ic haultemoc Cahuayo ypã teocuitlacozacatica conahpanaya contlatlauhtia connahuatequia ayahue Et.

    Yauh qui nelli Et

    Auh çãniman ye quilhuia, Oticmihiyohuilti oytech tacico in mauh Motepeuh in mexico oticpachoco in mopetlaya in mocpalaya ye o cuel achicyc o cemilhuitl nimitztlapiali motolinia in momacehual contlauhtie Et. yauh qui nelli Et.

    Yc cue yahue ye yalpopocaya ycic caliquico inin tepehuani in Capitan ye oc nemoa teteuctin aya in tlacateccatl in atlixcatzin an a ayahue ye tlacochcalcatl in tepehuatzin onatecaco tépillhuã inic onixtlauh Mexicayotl Et.

    In ticmahuiçoco atliyatic titlaxcalteca onateca in Mexico in Tépilhuan MOnteucçomatzin teuctli yquac huchuecomitl yeic onaçaca Amalacoxochitica onayatzauctiuh ye yaltepetl yeic onixtlauh mexicayotl yauh qui nelli

    Yye hualtzatzia in Malia teucçihuatl quihualihtoa in Malia Mexicah ma hualcalaqui in amapiloltzin ma ontlamemelo teteuctin aya acolihuacan quetzalacxoyatl yeco yohuã quapopoca hi yao qui Et.

    Y huel monequi ipalnemoani ye tlatlapanalo in tapiloltzin timexicame. Tlachoquiztlehua y tlapepenalo ye quauhquiahuac neyximachoyan yauh qui nelli Et.

    Yn qçacoyan oncan poliuhquc hualpopoca Nezçahualquentzi ye tlacochcalcatl in tepehuatzin ho inic tonaçaca tiMexica yauh qui nelli.

    Ye tlauhquecholxochitica yeh i yacaxochitl tzinitzcana ocoxochitl yeic cõmamalintza ymecapaltzin ycaya quimotimaloa in tenochcame ayahue Et.

    O aic ompolihuiz ye toahuicoltzin patlahuac xihuitl in teocuitlaticaya chayahua cayo ha yahue.

    Ye tlauhquecholmacpalxochitl yeic ontzauctia y çan a mopã yc onteintia atliaytic atlia i xictli manca ycayã in quimotimaloa tenochcame, yauh qui nelli Et.

    Translated by John Bierhorst

Source: John Bierhorst (1985). Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs. (Song #68, Folio 56v).

It Is Pure Jade (A Zan Chalchihuitli)

It is pure jade, a wide plumage, your heart, your word, O Father! Ehuaya.

You pity man, you watch him with mercy! Only for the most brief

moment is he next to you, at your side! Ohuaya, ohuyaya.

Precious as jade your flowers burst forth, O Life Giver. As fragrant

flowers they are perfected, as blue parrots they open their corollas. Only for the most brief

moment next to you, at your side! Ohuaya, ohuaya.

  • A ZAN CHALCHIHUITLI

    A zan chalchihuitli quetzal on patlahuac moyollo motlatol totatzin! Ehuaya.

    Tonteicnoitta tonteicnopilitta. In zan cuel achitzin ca in motloc monahuac. Ohuaya ohuaya.

    Chalchiuh itzmolini moxochiuh ipalnemohua. Yexochimimilihui xiuhquechol cuepuntimani. In zan cuel achitzin ca in motloc monahuac! Ohuaya, ohuaya.

Source: Bierhorst, J. (2009). Ballads of the Lords of New Spain: The Codex Romances de los Señores de la Nueva España. #34 (20v).

Refrences

Bierhorst, J. (2009). Ballads of the Lords of New Spain: The Codex Romances de los Señores de la Nueva España. #34 (20v).

Damrosch, D. (1991). The Aesthetics of Conquest: Aztec Poetry before and after Cortés. Representations, 33, 101–120. https://doi.org/10.2307/2928759

John Bierhorst (1985). Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs.