“Nonantzin” Poem NOT by Nezahualcoyotl

As yesterday was Mother’s Day in Mexico, a popular poem supposedly written by Nezahualcoyotl made its rounds through social media. Even Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History have been promoting the piece.

Tsk, tsk.

Readers, you may also have seen it and thought it a beautiful sentiment. And it is!

But it’s not by Nezahualcoyotl … or any other pre-Invasion Aztec poet.

Let’s take a look at the two versions floating around on the Internet (with my English translation) and what makes me certain they aren’t what people believe them to be.

Version 1

Tonantzin,
ihcuac nehhuatl nimiquiz
xinechtoca notlecuilco
ihuan quemman ticchihuaz
motlaxcal xinechchoquili.

Ihuan tla acah mitztlahtlaniz,
tonantzin, “Tleica tichoca?”
xicnanquili, “In cuahuitl xoxochuic
ihuan in poctli nechchoctia”.

Our dear mother,
when I myself should die
bury me at my hearth,
and whenever you make
your tortillas, cry for me.

And if someone should ask you,
our dear mother, “Why do you cry?”
answer, “The firewood is…