Takin aketik,
k’unil na yu’un te’tikil mutetik
te ya spas spechechike.
Dry bushes,
soft threads for birds
building their nests.
•
Ta jujun sab,
ta yach’ te’tikil,
ya sjach’ ye te k’aale.
Every morning
the sun yawns
on its new mountain.
•
Te sakil nichimetike,
ja’ slamanel k’inal
yu’un te pas k’ope.
The white flowers
are empires of peace
standing against war.
•
Sakub k’inal,
K’un ya xbeen bael te xojobe,
ya xlaj ta smalel k’aal.
Dawn,
the light slowly dissolves,
dying in the afternoon.
•
Tulan ja’al,
ja’ ya xbeen koel
yu’un ya sbuts’ lum k’inal.
Torrential rain,
water flowing
to kiss the earth.
•
Te k’aale yakal ta bael
ta mal k’aal ya xcham bael,
ya xtil sk’aal te xik’e.
Time flies
in the dying afternoon,
its wings burning.
From the book Kuxinel bit’il k’ajk’/Vivir como fuego/Live like Fire
Translations into English by Paul M. Worley
