2.2 “Dowsing Old Man Fire on the Mountaintop”
(This is a song for greeting the new year.)

1
The sun is snatched by the smoking star
There in the west at the rim of the sky.
The tunkul drums begin to thrum,
The conch horn shrilly sounds,
The zacatan tattoos a beat,
While the gourd pipe
Sings a melody
So that everyone
Who hears the tune
Will come assemble here.

2
Running and jumping
They arrive before the popolna,
The meeting house of the town
Where the Lord Serpent Bishop waits.
There, too, are the governor and rain priests,
The chief of the town and his aides.
Expectant stand the musicians,
The singers, actors, dancers,
Contortionists, and acrobats,
Hunchbacked dwarves
And spectators.
3
Everyone has come following
The Lord Serpent Bishop,
Eager to be entertained
By the grand spectacle
That will soon take place In the very center
Of our town square.

4
As the sun is pulled down
Past the rim of the sky,
The ceremony begins.
Copal incense fills the air–
The Lord of Heaven
Draws the smoke from the fire,
Using it to darken the face
Of our Father, the Sun.

5
Let us go! Let us go to the trunk
Of the holy ceiba tree!
Let us leave an offering there
To greet the new year! We made it! -
The five poisonous days
Have come and gone.
Let us join together
In the town,
And then at its eastern edge
Let us lift the wooden pole
Upon the ridge
In honor of Old Man Fire.
6
Bring out the new,
Throw out the old.
Father God permits us
To pass the black days
At the end of the year
Together here in town,
For there will come other days,
Other months,
Other years,
Other generations.

7
At the entrance to the town
Let us place a new end stone.
Let us look for a pure white stone
To mark the passing
Of another year.

(Songs of Dzitbalché 12)