Poetry of Nezahualcoyotl (Hungry Coyote)

This is going to sound silly possibly, but a long time ago I was interested in the poetry of an Aztec king named Nezahualcoyotl (translated: Hungry Coyote).  I may be (probably) wrong here, but from what I remember he was one of, if not the first truly dedicated philosopher -based vs. warrior based kings of the Aztecs...he wrote poetry, and mused on the real mystery that is life on Earth.  I don't recall much about what I learned from him, but I did find this great site of some of his poetry.  The site includes translated and un-translated versions of his poems.  Here is one of those poems I would like to share. (P.S. - I apologize for the small font: it is the only way I could maintain the integrity of the poem.)


2: The Flower Tree
by King Nezahualcoyotl

Begin the song in pleasure, singer, enjoy, give pleasure to all, even to Life Giver. Yyeo ayahui ohuaya.

Delight, for Life Giver adorns us. All the flower bracelets, your flowers, are dancing. Our songs are strewn in this jewel house, this golden house. The Flower Tree grow and shakes, already it scatters. The quetzal breathes honey, the golden quéchol breathes honey. Ohuaya ohuaya.

You have transformed into a Flower Tree, you have emerged, you bend and scatter. You have appeared before God's face as multi-colored flowers. Ohuaya ohuaya.

Live here on earth, blossom! As you move and shake, flowers fall. My flowers are eternal, my songs are forever: I raise them: I, a singer. I scatter them, I spill them, the flowers become gold: they are carried inside the golden place. Ohuaya ohuyaya.

Flowers of raven, flowers you scatter, you let them fall in the house of flowers. Ohuaya ohuyaya.

Ah, yes: I am happy, I prince NezahualCóyotl, gathering jewels, wide plumes of quetzal, I contemplate the faces of jades: they are the princes! I gaze into the faces of Eagles and Jaguars, and behold the faces of jades and jewels! Ohuaya ohuyaya.

We will pass away. I, NezahualCóyotl, say, Enjoy! Do we really live on earth? Ohuaya ohuaya!

Not forever on earth, only a brief time here! Even jades fracture; even gold ruptures, even quetzal plumes tear: Not forever on earth: only a brief time here! Ohuaya ohuaya!