Poetry: Rosa Chávez

May my heart bloom when it stops pumping red ink, may it burst into small thorns

May my heart bloom when it stops pumping red ink, may it burst into small thorns and yellow flowers, may it be painted with nij* and engraved with animals and two-headed birds.

May my heart dissolve in the earth and grow into a pine, may it see through the eyes of an owl, may it walk on the legs of a coyote, may it speak with the bark of a dog, may it heal in the quartz of caves, may it grow on the antlers of a deer.

May my hearts be bound by a colored serpent, so they won’t mistake their owner, so they’ll be marked for me to find once more on the path from here to other worlds.

Maya K’iche’:
Chtuxan ta b’a ri nuk’u’x are chi chutanab’a’ uk’aqik’
kaqa ja’, chel ta b’a uk’ixal
Chtuxan ta b’a ri nuk’u’x are chi chutanab’a’ uk’aqik’ kaqa
ja’, chel ta b’a uk’ixal q’ana usi’j, chtz’aj ta b’a ruk’ nij chb’an
ta b’a retz’eb’alil kuk’ awajib’ tz’ikin kakab’ kijolom.
Chja’r ta b’a ri nnk’u’x pa ri ulew chk’iy ta b’a pa jun chaja
che’, chka’y ta b’a pa uwach jun tukur, chb’in ta chi uwi’
raqan jun utiw, chch’aw ta b’a chi upam ujayjatem jim tz’i’,
chkunataj ta b’a pa ri saqrab’ajil ri jul, chk’iy ta b’a pa ruk’a’
jun masat.
Chexim ta b’a ri wanima ruk’ jun xolo’pa kumatz are chi
man ksach ta ri ajchoq’e, kkoj retal, arechi kkariq chi jun
mul qib’ pa jun chi k’olib’al.

*(K’iche’) A natural dye made from orange-colored insects (llaveia axin) bearing the same name.

This poem was originally published in Asymptote, October 2020. / We na’b’alil qas xqalajisax relesaxik pa Asymtote,
pa ri lajuj ik’ rech ri joq’o juwinaq junab’.

English translation by Gabriela Ramirez-Chavez.

My wandering heart will carry you on her back so you can sleep

My wandering heart will carry you on her back so you can sleep
My wandering heart will take you in her backpack so you don’t get lost
My wandering heart will write you a dream so you don’t wake up
My wandering heart will hide your name so you don’t leave
My wandering heart will bury the stake of mystery so our feet can rest right at the center
My wandering heart, my nomadic heart, my solitary heart,
will make a home on the land that was stolen from her

English translation by Gabriela Ramirez-Chavez.

Maya K’iche’:
Ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x kat reqaj b’ik are chi katwarik
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x katuk’am b’i pa ri uchim are
chi man katsach taj
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x kutz’ib’aj jun awaram are chi
man katk’astaj taj
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x krowaj ri ab’i’ are chi
katanimaj ta b’ik
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x kuch’ik ri uche’al sachilal are
chi ku’xlan ri qaqan pa unik’ajal
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x kuyuq’ taq ri ab’aqilal ruk’
uchub’ ri keb’ nuchi’ kuq’ipij ukowil ri itzelal
ri b’inikotel nuk’u’x, ri maj uk’olib’al nuk’u’x, ri xaq
utukel nuk’u’x,
kub’an na usok pa ri rulewal
xelesax che

This poem was originally published in Asymptote, October 2020. / We na’b’alil qas xqalajisax relesaxik pa Asymtote,
pa ri lajuj ik’ rech ri joq’o juwinaq junab’.

Rosa Chávez is a K’iche’-kaqchikel Mayan poet, artist and activist, coordinator of the Guatemala program of the international feminist organization Just Associates (JASS).

Rosa Chávez are mayab’ ajtz’ib’ rech na’balil pa k’iche’
tz’ij xuquje’ pa kakchikel, tz’ib’anel, ajb’ix xuquje’ ajyol no’j,
k’amalb’e rech ri wokaj ktob’an chech uya’il kichoq’ab’
ri ixoqib’ rech Paxil Kayala’ xuquje’ pa ri uwachulew Just
Associates (JASS).

Xqaxex pa kaxla’an tzij je pa mayab’ k’iche’ rumal Manuel
Raxulew y María Guarchaj Carrillo.

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