Note: This poem was originally written in Mixteco.

This is what our ancestors said, this is what our elders told us: that we lived in peace with our fellow men in this world, because we were all made of the same thing. We are on loan, passing through.

In this world everyone speaks, and they say: if someone insulted or offended another, every one will pay for that, and then it is over.

With respect to the language, remember:

If we do not preserve our language, the time will come when we will lose what we know and who we are. We will speak of other things and we will be other things… Please do not forget our language, we are born with it and with it we should die; it is our source.

Originally published in “Nuestra Palabra,” suplemento de El nacional, año 1, núm. 10, 12 de junio de 1990, p.9.