Peru

Herder (Michiq)

You see nothing more than two-hundred animals,
identical.
Yet I can recognize each by her laughter.
And yes of course they laugh.
They intertwine their necks with the wind and they dance.

In the desolate, forbidding mountains
on the dark and silent paths
daily we walk together
sometimes they, sometimes I,
lead the march.

Like Bach’s sorrowful hymns
they dissipate…
Sometimes swiftly, sometimes placidly
until upon us, the night descends.

And when the appointed day arrives
to Mother Earth I shall express my gratitude
to my dear animal, my appreciation,
and I will slaughter her.
I won’t waste a single drop of her blood…

Only we know of this exhortation
Only we know who we are
and although we shall cry knowing all of this, so shall we rejoice.

In the silent, distant meadows,
I am a herder.

Herding Sheep is More than Chasing Stars

Our dear sheep are grains of amaranth
scattered upon your heart
stars that shine in your arms.

In the blue, fog-draped fields
near the silvery-gold lagoon
having descended from the sky,
they are grazing.

Just the mist, just the wind.
Our dreams are illusory…
To herd sheep in faraway lands
is more than chasing stars

Mitmaq

Purini purinki purinchik…
runa tiyasqan pachamanqa
puriqllam hamurqanchik.

Llullu wiqinchikmantaraqmi
kunununuq ninapa qapariyninpi
musquyninchikpa iklliriq takinpi
puriyta qallarirqanchik.

Purisun, purisunhinalla.
Samananchik punchawqa…
La mar-qucha patanpi
aqullam suyawachkanchik.

Musquy

Chirikuq wasi punkupi
qamya tantata mikuchkaspaymi
warmallaraq kaspay
churmichawaq musquyta yuyarirqani:
“Mayu… yuraq pusuquykihina
muyurispa muyurispa
qanwan kuskalla chinkakuyman…
Wayra… yanayasqa alambrehina
sukarispa sukarispa
yupillaypas ripukunman…”

“Beee! Beeee! Beeee!”

Wakchaschay chitaschay:
Wakcha kananchiktaqa
manamá yachakurqanchikchu.
Anchuykamuy asuykamuy
qanwanqa tantapas icha miskinman.

“Beee! Beeee! Beeee!”

Wakchaschay chitaschay:
Tinyachallaypa sunqunpas
kunanqa rumiyarqunñam…
Qipa urqukunapipas
ritisqa ñanllañam waqapakuchkan.

Arguedaspa Misitun

Tayta Arguedas,
hanan pachamantam qawamullawachkankiku
kay illapayuq tutapim toro bilay takikita tusuchkaniku, takichkaniku
sunqullaykupipas takichaykiqa sumaqllatañam tiktikyan
llaqtarunapa simichallanpim Misitupa waqaychallanqa panchirichkan
wawqichaykunapas kusisqallaña Qarwarasu qasapiñam willakuchkasunki
kunanpunim aqachata kukachatawan chaninchaykuchkanku
Misitullayki lluqsiykamunanpaq.

Pampa qoñanimantam Misitullaykiqa anqas ñawiyuqraq sayariramun
aychamikuq yarqay puma qinaraq
Sayaynin pachamanta illaykiqa allichakuchkan uywankunata qatallinanpaq
Taytanchik wamaniman umachallantapas qawaykachan tapurikuq qinaraq
Surriagukunapa patallantañam, waqrapukupa qaparisqanta qawallantañam
Misitullaykiqa puririykamun tusustin qinaraq
Ranra ranra ruminta, ichu ichu qasanta utqayllaña kallpamuchkan
Pukio yakuchapi samayllantapas musquykuspa
Ñawparinraq, suchurinraq munachikuq qina tusustin
Chisinpaykunapas kunan punchawkunapas allin kawsaypim tinkuykullanku.

Wapullaña piñallaña Misitullaykiqa kinraymanraq qawaykullawanku
Tampay tampa chupallampas wakamichiqpa surriagun qinaraq raprapyarin
Ñawchi ñawchi waqrallanpas chirarapaqina chipikyachkanraq
Pitaraq waqraykunqa paqarin hatun kanchapi pukllaykullaptin
Pipa yawarllantaraq upyaykunqa saksaykunallanpaq.

Llaqtaykupi waqrapuku waqaykullaptinmi
Piñakustinraq qari qari Misitullaqa pukllay kanchaman yaykuykun
Samapakunraq, qaparinraq, qawakuqkunatapas manchachistin
Sarupakunraq, kallpaykachanraq pillatapas supaytaqina waqrayparinanpaq
Ichiykachastin, muyuykachastin yawar raymitach musyallan.

Waka takillaykiqa munayllaykutapas chikllirichimun, tayta Arguedas
musqukusqayki pachapim arpachallawan, biwlichallawan takichkaniku
Chaypim Misitullaykipas kay hatun punchawpi wawqiykikunawan kusirikuchkan.

Tayta Arguedas,
Misitullaykiqa enqalmanwan achalasqach sayanan pachaman kutirillanqa
Tusuyniykuwan, kacharpariy takiyniykuwan sinkaruspan
Misitullaqa qatakunataña, qasakunatañam wayrallaña qispillachkan
Tiyanan wasimanchiki musuq musuqraq yaykuykunqa
Qoñani urquchiki qasqullantapas kicharinqa Misitullaykiman
Wawayuq warmi qina kuyaykunanpaq, puñuykachinanpaq
Chaychapim munananchikta sapa punchaw chikllichichkan.

Ch’awiyuyu mama

Mayu patapi
q’illu t’ikaq yuyucha,
inti taytaq k’anchaykusqan,
killa mamaq llanthuykusqan.

Munay munay wiñaqcha
phuyuq hump’inwan ch’aqchuykusqa,
hallp’aq sunqunmanta phuturimuq,
ch’awiyuyucha wata ch’uñu mama.

Manaña imaypas kaqtinqa,
sulla samaychaykiwan,
wawachaykunaq uyachanta
uphaykuspa, much’aykuspa,
watan watan mana tukukuspa
yuraq waqtanchaykita mikhukuyku,
yana inqichaykuman hunt’achikuyku
kusisqa inqipas t’iqi t’iqicha
phullakuyku.

Ch’awiyuyu mamacha,
inti taytaq k’anchaykusqan,
killa mamaq llanthuykusqan,
q’illu sumbriru t’ikacha,
q’umir pullera ch’awicha.

Yanayña urpiyña wikch’uwaqtinpas,
uyachaykita qhawa-qhawayukuspa,
inqipas t’iqi t’iqichataraq,
kushkalla kawsakushansunchis.