Flower and song
In Nahuatl poetry, flowers and songs stand together for poetry itself and for all that is fine and does not last.
Songs of Flowers and Parting
Nahua singers, three songs from the Cantares mexicanos manuscript, as printed by Daniel G. Brinton, Ancient Nahuatl Poetry (Philadelphia, 1887), songs XXII–XXIV · sung before and after the Spanish conquest; written down in the sixteenth century; printed 1887
Xichocayan nicuicanitl nicitta noxochiuh zan nomac ommania zan quihuintia ye noyollo ni cuicatl aya nohuian nemia, zan ca ye noyollo notlayocola in cayo.
In the place of weeping I, the singer, look at my flowers. They lie in my hand. They make my heart drunk. My song goes about everywhere, but my heart is only sad.
Nicaya quetza con tohuehueuh aoniquimitotia quauhtlocelo yn ca tiyayhcac in cuicaxochitl, nictemoan cuicatl ye tonequimilol ayyo.
I set up our drum. I make the eagle and jaguar warriors dance where you stand, among the flowers of song. I seek songs to adorn us.
Yn quetzal poyomatl ayc ihcuilihuic noyol nicuicanitl in xochitl ayan tzetzelihui ya ancuel ni cuiya ma xonahuacan ayio zan noyolitic ontlapanion cuicaxochitl nicyamoyahuaya yxoochitla.
The precious poyomatl, which no one could paint; my heart; I, the singer: the flowers rain down. Be glad! Inside my heart alone the flowers of song burst open, and I scatter them in the place of flowers.