I’m not Latino. I’m not Hispanic. I’m not a mestizo. I’m not Mexican American. I’m not a descendent of Amerigo Vespucci or Hernan Cortes. I’m a Xicano, with an “X.” Not because I admire the Latin alphabet, or I think it’s appropriate. But because it’s indigenous. Because it’s encoded in my genetics. Not the letter, but the memory of my ancestors. The memory of the murderous invader. The memory, of the most beautiful of flowers, in xochitl, the most eloquent of songs, in cuicatl. There, where the Eagle spirit shines, and the Jaguars growl Stands the “X” in Ollin. Stands the “X” in MeXica. Stands the “X” in MeXico. Me-hee-co or Me-shee-co Tenochtitlan? Me-hee-cano or Me-shee-cano Chicome? I’m a Xicano with an “X.” Not because I admire the Latin alphabet or I think it’s appropriate, but because it’s indigenous, because it’s your ancient gift. It’s the nopalito on your forehead. The elote, not the cornbread. The “X” is your almond eyes. The “X” is why you’re wise. The “X” is sacred mathematics. The “X” is anti-satanic. The “X” is when the Sun eclipses the Milky Way. The “X” is more fire, fire to Turkey day. The “X” is the hottest chile, and the molcajete. The “X” is all that is sacred en el numero trece The “X” is the hummingbird and the nightingale. The “X” is what’s indigenous in a two man cell. The “X” is the molcaxitl and ahuacatl. The “X” is Chichen itza on the Spring equinox. The “X” is when the Hopi ran with water to La Gran Tenochtitlan. The “X” was the Mexica running back with fire to Hopi Land. The “X” is Quetzalcoatl and the Atlachinolli. The “X” is the moral philosophy of the Huehuetlatolli. The “X” is the connection between the Mohawk and Zapatistas. The “X” is the Serpent rising up the spines of the master teachers. It’s all phonetics but there is one thing that’s no doubt. You could never, ever, never, ever, run away, from yourself!

A in ilhuicac itic ompa ye ya huitz, in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatli conpoloan tellel, conpoloan totlayocol(y) in tlacahzo yehuatl in chichimecatl teuctli in Tecayehuatzin ica xonahuiacan. Moquetzalizquixochintzetzeloa in icniuhyotl. Aztacaxtlatlapantica ye on malinticac in Quetzalxiloxochitl. imapan onnehnemi conchichichintinemih in teteuctin in tepilhuan. Zan teocuitlacoyoltototl o huel yectlin amocuic, huel yectli in anquehua Anquin ye oncan i xochitl yiahualiuhcan i xochitl imapan amoncate in amontlahtlahtoa. O ach anca tiquechol in ipalnemoa[ni]? O ach anca titlatocauh yehuan…[Teotl]? Huiya achtotiamehua anquitztoque tlahuizcall i amoncuicatinemi Maciuhtia, oo in quinequi noyollo zan chimalli xochitl in ixochiuh ipalnemohuani. quen conchihuaz noyollo yehua? Onen tacico, tonquizaco in tlalticpac. Zan ca iuhquin noyaz in oompopoliuh xochitla? antle notleyo yez in que[m]manian? antle nitauca yez in tlalticpac? manel xochitl! manel cuicatl! quen conchihuaz noyollo yehua? onen tacico tonquizaco in tlalticpac. Man tonahuiacan antocnihuan, aya ma onnequechnahualo. nican huiyaa xochintlalticpac on tiyanemi. Ye nican ayac quitlamitehuaz in xochitl in cuicatl in mania ichan ipalnemohuani. In zan cuel achitzincan tlalticpac. Oc no iuhcan quenonamican? i cuix oc pacohua? icniuhtihua? i auh in amo zanio nican tontiximatico in [tlalticpac]

El hombre es la más elevada de las criaturas (1). 1 La mujer es el más sublime de los ideales. Dios hizo para el hombre un trono; para la mujer un altar (2). 2 El trono exalta; el altar santifica. El hombre es el cerebro. La mujer el corazón (3). 3 El cerebro fabríca la Luz; el corazón produce el Amor. La Luz fecunda; el Amor resucita. El hombre es fuerte por la razón (4). 4 La mujer es invencible por las lágrimas. La razón convence; las lágrimas conmueven. El hombre es capaz de todos los heroísmos (5). 5 La mujer de todos los martirios. El heroísmo ennoblece; el martirio sublimiza. El hombre tiene la supremacía. La mujer la preferencia (6). 6 La supremacía significa la fuerza; La preferencia representa el derecho. El hombre es un genio (7). 7 La mujer un ángel. El genio es inmensurable; el ángel indefinible. La inspiración del hombre es la suprema gloria (8). 8 La aspiración de la mujer es la virtud extrema. La gloria hace todo lo grande; la virtud hace todo lo divino. El hombre es un código (9). 9 La mujer un evangelio. El código corrige; el evangelio perfecciona. El hombre piensa. La mujer sueña (10). 10 Pensar es tener en el cráneo una larva; soñar es tener en la frente una aureola. El hombre es el mar. La mujer es un lago (11). 11 El mar tiene la perla que adorna; El lago la poesía que deslumbra. El hombre es el águila que vuela (12). 12 La mujer es el ruiseñor que canta. Volar es dominar el espacio; cantar es conquistar el alma. El hombre es un Templo. La mujer es el Sagrario (13). 13 Ante el templo nos descubrimos; ante el Sagrario nos arrodillamos. En fin: el hombre está colocado donde termina la tierra (14). 14 La mujer donde comienza el cielo.

I am going to have a conversation with my heart. Ninoyolnonotza Campa nicuiz yectli ahuiacaxochitl? Ac nictlatlaniz? Manoço yehhuatl nictlatlani in quetzalhuitzitziltzin in chalchiuhhuitzitzicatzin manozo yeh nictlatlani in quetzalpapalotl in zacuanpapalotzin ca yehuantin in machiz ca yehuantin in machiz ommati campa cueponi in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl I am going to have a conversation with my heart. Ninoyolnonotza I wonder where I could find some beautiful sweet flowers growing in concrete Babylon? I wonder where I could find a precious flower growing in Babylon? Where the parties are long, and the tweak is strong. I wonder where I could find a beautiful flower growing through the crack in the concrete, next to the oil, the filth and perversion of the city? Who would I ask? Let me ask the precious hummingbird, Let me ask the precious jade hummingbirds, and the multicolored butterfly, because they’re the ones that know where they blossom in beauty; in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl I am going to have a conversation with my heart. Ninoyolnonotza Campa nicuiz yectli ahuiacaxochitl? Ac nictlatlaniz? Manoço yehhuatl nictlatlani in quetzalhuitzitziltzin in chalchiuhhuitzitzicatzin manozo yeh nictlatlani in quetzalpapalotl in zacuanpapalotzin ca yehuantin in machiz ca yehuantin in machiz ommati campa cueponi in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl in yectli yan xochitl, yectli yan cuicatl Through the crack in the concrete, next the oil, the filth and perversion of the city, flowers still grow in Babylon, flowers still grow in Babylon.

Iniuh quitotiaque. iniuh quitlallitiaque. inin tlaltol ihuan otechmachiyotiliaque texamapan in huehuetque illamatque catca in tocihuan in tocolhuan in tachtohuan in tomintonhuan in topiptonhuan in tochichicahuan iniuhqui nenonotzal mochiuhtiuh. i notechcahui cahuilitiaque. in axcan tonnemi in intechtiquiza auh aic polihuiz aic ilcahuiz. inoquichihuaco inoquitlallico in intlillo in intlapallo in intenyo in imitolloca. in imilnamicoca. in o compa titztihui aic polihuiz aic ilcahuiz nochipa ticpiezque in tehuantin in titepilhuan in titeixhuihuan in titete icca to tonhuan in titemintotonhuan in titepiptotonhuan in titechichicahuan. in titletlapallohuan in titehezohuan quitotihui quitenehuatihui i huan i noc yollizque in tlacatizque, in Mexica tepilhuan in tenochca tepilhuan.

Ni hualatoc nimitzmacaz ce cuicaliztli Ihuan xochimeh nicnequi nimitzcacayahuaz Ax xochitl tlen ta timoilia Ihuan tah tiquixmatoca ipan moyollo Nimitzhualiquilitoc ni xochitl Nimamati hualaqui ipan nocuitlapa mochan Ni tequi itezo xochitl ihuan ni huala nihuicolti, xinechnequi…

From deep within the heavens they come the beautiful flowers the beautiful songs they destroy our pain they destroy our sadness especially those of the Chichimecatl prince Tecayehuatzin With his rejoice! Friendship is a shower of precious white flowers, and heron feathers and lavender petals are woven together with precious maize flowers among the branches of the trees where the lords and nobles stroll and sip. Your beautiful song is a golden bell songbird so very beautiful you raise them up you are in a field circled by flowers among the branches of the flowery bushes you sing Are you by chance a precios bird of the Giver of Life? Is there a chance you have spoken with God? When you first saw the dawn you began to sing. Although my heart desires only the flowers of the shield the flowers of the Giver of Life Oh what will my heart do? In vain we have arrived we have emerged here on earth Will I just go away and disappear as do the many gardens? Will nothing remain of my honor? Nothing of my glory here on earth? At least my flowers! At least my songs! Oh what will my heart do? In vain we have arrived, we have emerged here on earth. May we enjoy ourselves oh friends. Let us embrace. Here we roam the flowery earth. No one here can put an end to the flowers and the songs they will always exist in the home of the Giver of Life. Only but a brief moment is time on earth Is it also such in the hereafter? Is there happiness? Is there friendship? Or is it not only here on earth that we come to know our faces?

Man is the most elevated of creatures. Woman, the most sublime of ideals. Man is the brain. Woman is the heart. The brain produces light, the heart love. Light fertilizes, love resurrects. Man is strong on reason. Woman is invincible for her tears. Reason convinces, tears move. Man is capable of all heroic deeds; Woman of all martyrdoms. Heroism ennobles, martyrdom exalts. Man is a code. Woman is a gospel. The code corrects; the gospel perfects. Man is a temple, woman a Sacrarium. Before the temple we discover ourselves, before the Sacrarium we kneel. Man thinks. Woman dreams. To think is to have larva in the cranium; to dream is to have a halo on the forehead. Man is an ocean. Woman is a lake. The ocean has the pearl that adorns it; the lake has dazzling poetry. Man is the eagle that flies. 9 Woman is the Nightingale that sings. To fly is to control space; to sing is to conquer the soul. Finally, man is placed where the earth ends; woman, where the sky begins.

Quemman naciz When will I arrive? Quemman taciz When will you arrive? Quemman naciz When will I arrive? Quemman Quemman taciz When will you arrive? Ipalnemohuani xihualla Oh Giver of Life come xihualla tlahuilli tlazohtla come light, it is Love Ye nican in cuicatl in xochitl Already here is the song and the flower Ye nican in xochitl in cuicatl Already here is the flower and the song Conpoloan tellel They destroy our pain Conpoloan totlayocol They destroy our sadness Conpoloan tellel They destroy our pain Conpoloan totlayocol They destroy our sadness In tlacazo yehhuatl Xochipilli Ah, certainly Xochipilli in yectli yan amocihuatzin your beautiful and honored woman Quetzaltica huiconticac ompa like something precious there she spins Coatlicue Tonantzin Our honored mother Coatlicue Quemman naciz When will I arrive? Quemman taciz When will you arrive? Quemman naciz When will I arrive? Quemman Quemman taciz When will you arrive? Moquetzalizquixochintzetzeloa The music inside the flower field xochimilco in tlatzotzonalli is a shower of precious maize flowers In cuauhtloocelotl ye ya huitz The eagles and jaguars have come ixpan in moyocoyani before the self-Creator Conpoloan tellel They destroy our pain Conpoloan totlayocol They destroy our sadness Conpoloan tellel They destroy our pain Conpoloan totlayocol They destroy our sadness Nicuicani nicaqui in cuicatl I, the singer, hear the song Nitlacuilo niquitta in xochitl I, the painter, see the flower Ometecuhtli ihuan Omecihuatl the Lord and Lady of Duality In Tometeotzin Our honored Ometeotl

When the Creator Ipalnemohuani Ometeotl sent me from the stars to earth, I didn’t ask to be Mexican, I just got lucky. I didn’t ask to be the hummingbird’s friend or creator of high civilization. To be the greatest farmer of the world, or the inventor of zero, I just got lucky. Because mis abuelitos, mis abuelitas, mis nanas, mis tatas eran Nahua, catca Maya/Zapoteco/Mexica, were Mexicans. Hard working, caring genius nanas de Anahuac, courageous tatas de Cuitlahuac. Loving and sharing. Have you eaten mijo? Ya comistes mija? Today, tomorrow, again and again, I didn’t ask to Mexican. I didn’t ask to be the child of a beautiful dark, brown obsidian eyed mujer. I just got lucky. I didn’t ask to understand precession, And how the sky moves 1 degree to the western direction every 72 years. Didn’t ask for the connection to Teotihuacan, or Monte Alban, to have constructed La Gran Tenochtitlan I just got lucky. I didn’t ask to be a master mason, a flower arranger or Bonampak mural painter. I never asked for the recipes to tamales or guacamole, didn’t ask for the chocolate for the simmering mole. I just got lucky. I didn’t ask to be an eagle or jaguar of Xochicalco or Mitla to love the hottest chiles, Quetzalcoatl, Nahuatl, Teocintli. Nor did I ask to be one of Tonantzin’s sons, one of the Turquoise prince’s precious ones, or to have a grand legacy of flowers and songs. I just got lucky.

Huitzitzilin tla xihualla Hummingbird please come. Clibrí por favor ven. In xochimeh nimitzmacaz I will give you flowers Te daré unas flores in tlahtolli teoxihuitl and divine turquoise words y divinas palabras de turquesa Tototzintli nimitznequi Oh Little bird, I love you! Oh Pajarito, te quiero! O O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya

Huitzitzilin tla xihualla Hummingbird please come. Clibrí por favor ven. In xochimeh nimitzmacaz I will give you flowers Te daré unas flores in tlahtolli teoxihuitl and divine turquoise words y divinas palabras de turquesa Tototzintli nimitznequi Oh Little bird, I love you! Oh Pajarito, te quiero! O O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya Ninoyollo papahpaqui My heart is so happy Cualtipehua tipahtlani when your about to fly. Xiconana in xochimeh take these flowers Campa tehua tipahpaqui to the place where you’re most happy! O O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya O ilili aya O ilili ohuaya