Zan Tontemiquico

By Coyolchiuhqui Tochihuitzin - Mexico, 1397–1450?

Transitional | Identity, Nature

WORD	DEFINITION	POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
ah (adv.)	implies negative	not, it is not, that’s not
cecilia (v.)	an alternative spelling of the verb cehceliya—to grow and put forth roots	sprout, grow, germinate, develop, spring up, burgeon
cequi (art.)	a portion of the whole	some, a few
cueponi (v.)	unfold and spread out (like flowers)	blossom, open, burst open, unfold, bloom, flower, emerge, are brought to life
cuetlahuia (v.)	become dry and shriveled	wither, shrivel up, dry up, perish
hual (adv.)	refers to direction or location of something or some action	here, hither, this way, in this place, thus
in (prep.)	indicating a connection between people or things, usually in terms of one’s location in respect to another	on, upon, in, with regards to, with respect to
ipan (v.)	to be similar to	is like, is similar to, such is, so is
itzmolini (v.)	to come into being and progress to maturity	sprout, put out shoots, turn green, ripen, develop, mature, burst forth
nelli (adj.)	in accordance with fact or reality	true, correct, accurate, right, undeniable
on (adv.)	after that; next; afterward	then, after that, next, subsequently, later
tinemico (v.)	from the verb nemi—to exist or reside	we come to live, we come to dwell, we come to be
tlalticpac (n.)	the planet on which we live and the third planet from the sun in the solar system	earth, world, planet, globe
tochihuaca (n.)	the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal regarded as immortal	our soul, our spirit, our being, our nature, our anima, our psyche
tocochitlehuaco (v.)	from the verb cochi—to enter the condition of the body and mind during which we lie down, close our eyes, and rest	we come to sleep, we approach sleep, we come to slumber
tonacayo (n.)	from the word nacayotl—the physical structure of a person or an animal	our body, our flesh, our incarnation, our progeny
tontemiquico (v.)	from the verb temiqui—to have a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in one’s mind during sleep	we come to dream, we approach dreams, we come to envision
toyollo (n.)	from the word yollotl—part of the body regarded as the center of a person’s thoughts and emotions, especially love or compassion	our heart, our emotions, our feelings, our passion
xihuitl (n.)	plants with narrow green leaves that grow in fields and gardens	grass
xochitl (n.)	the seed-bearing parts of a plant that are typically surrounded by brightly colored petals	flowers, blossoms, florets, roses
xoxopan (n.)	the season in which vegetation begins to appear	(in) spring, springtime
zan (adv.)	nothing more; for only one purpose	only, just, merely, but, exclusively

WORD

DEFINITION

POSSIBLE SYNONYMS

ah (adv.)

implies negative

not, it is not, that’s not

cecilia (v.)

an alternative spelling of the verb cehceliya—to grow and put forth roots

sprout, grow, germinate, develop, spring up, burgeon

cequi (art.)

a portion of the whole

some, a few

cueponi (v.)

unfold and spread out (like flowers)

blossom, open, burst open, unfold, bloom, flower, emerge, are brought to life

cuetlahuia (v.)

become dry and shriveled

wither, shrivel up, dry up, perish

hual (adv.)

refers to direction or location of something or some action

here, hither, this way, in this place, thus

in (prep.)

indicating a connection between people or things, usually in terms of one’s location in respect to another

on, upon, in, with regards to, with respect to

ipan (v.)

to be similar to

is like, is similar to, such is, so is

itzmolini (v.)

to come into being and progress to maturity

sprout, put out shoots, turn green, ripen, develop, mature, burst forth

nelli (adj.)

in accordance with fact or reality

true, correct, accurate, right, undeniable

on (adv.)

after that; next; afterward

then, after that, next, subsequently, later

tinemico (v.)

from the verb nemi—to exist or reside

we come to live, we come to dwell, we come to be

tlalticpac (n.)

the planet on which we live and the third planet from the sun in the solar system

earth, world, planet, globe

tochihuaca (n.)

the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal regarded as immortal

our soul, our spirit, our being, our nature, our anima, our psyche

tocochitlehuaco (v.)

from the verb cochi—to enter the condition of the body and mind during which we lie down, close our eyes, and rest

we come to sleep, we approach sleep, we come to slumber

tonacayo (n.)

from the word nacayotl—the physical structure of a person or an animal

our body, our flesh, our incarnation, our progeny

tontemiquico (v.)

from the verb temiqui—to have a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in one’s mind during sleep

we come to dream, we approach dreams, we come to envision

toyollo (n.)

from the word yollotl—part of the body regarded as the center of a person’s thoughts and emotions, especially love or compassion

our heart, our emotions, our feelings, our passion

xihuitl (n.)

plants with narrow green leaves that grow in fields and gardens

grass

xochitl (n.)

the seed-bearing parts of a plant that are typically surrounded by brightly colored petals

flowers, blossoms, florets, roses

xoxopan (n.)

the season in which vegetation begins to appear

(in) spring, springtime

zan (adv.)

nothing more; for only one purpose

only, just, merely, but, exclusively

Background

About Free Verse

Free verse is a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from
limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such
poems are without rhythms and rhyme schemes; do not follow regular rhyme
scheme rules and still provide artistic expression. In this way, the poet can give his
own shape to a poem how he/she desires. However, it still allows poets to use
alliteration, rhyme, cadences or rhythms to get the effects that they consider are
suitable for the piece.

Bio

Tochihuitzin Coyolchiuhqui was an Aztec lord from Teotlatzinco and a Nahuatl poet. Poetry was an important part of the Aztec culture. Tochihuitzin was one of the many sons of the Aztec emperor Itzcóatl. We know when Tochihuitzin lived only because. he is mentioned in the Crónica Mexicayotl, a history of central Mexico written in Nahuatl around 1598. The manuscript recounts the siege of the city of Texcoco in 1419. The invaders murdered the city’s ruler, Ixtlilxochitl, and attempted to assassinate the twenty-five- year-old prince, Nezahualcoyotl. Along with his brothers, Tochihuitzin helped the young prince flee and find refuge in Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. Besides this account and the poetry he left behind, little is known of Tochihuitzin.

Glossary

Background

Bio