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Third Stop - Americas



Hi, this is my third and final post. I had fun being your host and hopefully brought some new poetry to your attention.

The Songs of Dzitbalché is a very important American poetry book, but continues to be little known. Nobody is sure exactly how old these poems are. They were written down in the 1700s and credited to Ah Bam, but contain the remnants of much older Mayan lyrical poetry. All translations are by John Curl.

I will quote just two here, but four more poems, along with the original Mayan, and a bibliography, can be read over here: Songs of Dzitbalché.

I WILL KISS YOUR MOUTH

I will kiss your mouth
between the plants of the milpa.
Shimmering beauty,
you have to hurry.

THE MOURNING SONG
OF THE POOR MOTHERLESS ORPHAN

I was very small when my mother died,
when my father died.
Ay ay, my Lord!
Raised by the hands of friends,
I have no family here on earth.
Ay ay, my Lord!
Two days ago my friends died,
and left me insecure
vulnerable, alone. Ay ay!

That day I was alone
and put myself
in a stranger's hand.
Ay ay, my lord!
Evil, much evil passes here
on earth. Perhaps
I will never stop crying.

Without family,
alone, very lonely I walk,
crying day and night
only cries consume my eyes and soul.
Under evil so hard.
Ay ay, my Lord!
Take pity on me, put an end
to this suffering.
Give me death, my Beautiful Lord,
or give my soul transcendence!

Poor, poor
alone on earth
pleading insecure lonely
imploring door to door
asking every person I see to give me love.
I who have no home, no clothes,
no fire.
Ay my lord! Have pity on me!
Give my soul transcendence
to endure.