In preparing for an upcoming trip to Guatemala I recently came across a collection of poems written in Q’eqchi’. Some of them are really sweet and I translated a few of the best ones into English. Here is one that I thought I might save for couples until Valentine’s Day…but then I thought to myself that perhaps singles would appreciate it just as much. So in consideration of ‘Singles Day’ here is a little Q’eqchi’ love poem. (I don’t know who wrote it, but the English translation is mine.)

AT XSUM LI WAAM

At xsum li waam,

K’ajo’ laatuulanil…

Jo’ jun li mukuy naq narupik

Chi ru li loq’laj choxa, laach’ool

Chan chan tawi’ li tuuxil noq’,

Ut li xnaq’ laawu nalemtz’unk jo’

Junaq li ch’ina’usil uutz’u’uj.

 

Li xnaq’ laawu chan chan tawi’

Li xkji’al li kab’

Xb’aan naq naxsahob’resi li waam.

 

Ut li waam napisk’ok sa’ xna’aj

Naq nakatwil, xb’aan naq maa’ani chik

Junaq jo’ laa’at, jo’kan naq nakatinra

Ut nank’e laaloq’al.

O MY SOUL MATE

O my soul mate,

How delicate you are…

Like a pigeon flying

Across the sacred sky, your heart

Like a puff of cotton,

Your eyes shining like

Some beautiful flower.

 

Your eyes, likewise,

As sweet as honey,

Are the savor of my soul.

 

My heart leaps in its cage

At your sight, for there is no one else

Quite like you, and so I love you

And sing your praises.