Flower, Song, Dance: Aztec and Mayan Poetry
by David Bowles
In pre-Colombian Mexico, song and dance were vital components of daily life. However, all that's left of this vast tradition of lyrical verse is fewer than 200 poems, most contained in three codices written just after the Spanish conquest. In this new translation, David Bowles employs the tools of English verse to craft accessible, powerful versions of selected songs from the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, striking a balance between the features of the original performance and the expectations of modern readers of poetry. With full-color illustrations, a thorough glossary, and an insightful introduction, Flower, Song, Dance brings a neglected literary tradition to life for the 21st-century.
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About the Author
David Bowles resides in the Río Grande Valley of South Texas with his wife and children. His collection of Mesoamerican verse, Flower, Song, Dance: Aztec and Mayan Poetry, won the 2014 Soeurette Diehl Fraser Award for Best Translation. Bowles is author of several other books, including The Smoking Mirror, Border Lore, Shattering and Bricolage, Mexican Bestiary, and The Seed.
