“What shall I take with me? Will I let nothing behind me over the earth? How shall my heart act? Is it that we come in vain to live, to sprout over the earth? Let us leave at least flowers, let us leave at least songs.” ExistenceBeautySongs Author:Nezahualcóyotl
“Truly do we live on earth? Not forever on earth; only a little while here. Although it be jade, it will be broken, Although it be gold, it is crushed, Although it be quetzal feather, it is torn asunder. Not forever on earth; only a little while here.” PoetryMortalityCarpe DiemTime PassingAztec Author:Nezahualcóyotl
“I love the song of the mockingbird, Bird of four hundred voices, I love the color of jade And the intoxicating scent of flowers, But more than all I love my brother, man.” InspirationalPoetryUniversal LoveAztecs Author:Nezahualcóyotl
“O friends, to a good place we've come to live, come in springtime! In that place a very brief moment! So brief is life!” PoetryMortalityLife Is ShortEnjoying LifeAztecs Author:Nezahualcóyotl
“We will pass away. I, Nezahualcoyotl, 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.” PoetryMortalityCarpe DiemTime PassingEnjoying LifeAztecs Author:Nezahualcóyotl
“The pleasures and riches of this life are but loaned, their substance is vain, their appearance illusory; and so true is this that I ask thee for an answer to these questions: What has become of Cihuapan? Of the brave Quantzintecomatzin? Of Conahuatzin? What of all these people? Perhaps these very words have already passed into another life. Would that we who are now united by the ties of love and friendship could foresee the sharp edge of death, for nothing is certain, and the future ever brings changes.” PoetryHumilityCarpe DiemTime PassingAztecsHumility Vs Vanity Author:Nezahualcóyotl