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
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
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
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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