Transcript we only live in your book of paintings

Aztec Poetry Openers
• Poetry in the Aztec world was known as "flower and
song," the Nahuatl (Aztec language) metaphors for art
and symbolism. It was the highest art form and it often
celebrated the transient nature of life on earth. The
theme of cut flowers was regularly used to symbolize
the temporary fragility and beauty of existence.
• Life, so solid, so apparently real, was thus an illusion.
Only by creating art, by imitating the Lord of the Close
and the Near, could they aspire to immortality. Thus the
idea that "art made things divine," and only the divine
was true.
• In this they felt they were imitating their principal deity,
Omeoteotl, the creator of the universe, also called the
Lord and Lady of the Close and the Near.
Extended lies the city
lies Mexico
Spreading circles of emerald light radiating splendor like a quetzal
plume
Oh author of life your house is here
Your song is heard on earth
It spreads among the people…
Behold Mexico
Proudly stands the city of Mexico, Tenochtitlan
Here no one fears to die in war,
Keep this in mind oh Princes,
Who could attack Tenochtitlan?
Who could attack the foundations
of heaven?
Tuesday
WE ONLY LIVE IN YOUR BOOK OF PAINTINGS
With flowers You paint, Giver of Life!
With songs You give color,
with songs You shade
those who will live on the earth.
Later You will destroy eagles and tigers:
we live only in Your painting
here, on the earth.
With black ink You will blot out
all that was friendship,
brotherhood, nobility.
You give shading
to those who will live on the earth.
We live only in Your book of paintings,
here on the earth
HUNGRY-COYOTE (NEZAHUALCOYOTL)
King of Texcoco (1431-72)
Wednesday
Like the spring grass
Like the spring grass
We come only to sleep,
Only to dream.
It is not true, it is not true
That we have come to live on Earth!
Thursday
One by one I bring together your songs
I am linking the jades,
With them I make a bracelet of everlasting gold.
Bedeck yourself with them;
They are your wealth in the region of flowers
They are your wealth on the earth
Friday
• Does man possess any truth?
• Does man possess any truth?
if not, our song is no longer true.
Is anything stable and lasting?
What reaches its aim?
• The giver of life mocks of us
only a dream we chase
oh my friends
our hearth trust
But he really mock of us
but with emotion we enjoy
in the green things and in the paintings
The giver of life make us live
he knows, he rules
how we, the men, will die
nobody, nobody, nobody
really lives on earth.
• (Manuscript, Cantares Mexicanos/National Library of Mexico)
Aztec Poetry Openers Quiz
1. Spreading circles of emerald light radiating splendor like a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ plume
quetzal
2. Proudly stands the city of Mexico,
____________
Tenochtitlan
3. One by one I bring together your songs I am linking the _ _ _ _ _
jades
4. With black ink You will blot out all that was friendship,
brotherhood,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
nobility
5. Like the _ _ _ _ _ _ grass we come only to sleep
Spring
6. Does man _ _ _ _ _ _ _ any truth?
possess
7. They are your wealth in the region of _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
Flowers
8. We come only to sleep, only to _ _ _ _ _
dream.
Bonus Question
Poetry in the Aztec world was known as “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _”
"flower and song,"