Francisco Serrano, illustrated by Pablo Serrano, biography translated and adapted by Trudy Balch, poetry translated by Jo Anne Engelbert,
The Poet King of Tezcoco/ A Great Leader of Ancient Mexico
Groundwood, 2007.

Ages 10-14

The Ancient Kingdom of Tezcoco lay to the east of a “vast lake” where Mexico city stands today, adjacent and contemporary to the kingdom of the Aztecs.  The Poet King of the title was Nezahualcóyotl, and his story is told here at break-neck speed: the intrigues and battles to regain his rightful kingdom; his rebuilding of the cities and the kingdom’s administration; through to his death and his legacy.  Each chapter is headed by one of Nezahualcóyotl’s poems, which reveal an affinity to the philosophy of many poets through the ages: someone seeking to understand life, death and the nature of God; someone finding deep pleasure in “the flowers of friendship”. It is the poetry that gives the humanising dimension to what might otherwise be taken as a remote history of a remote, albeit interesting, king and his kingdom.

Francisco Serrano’s writing is by no means oversimplified but he does make the story accessible to his target audience.  For example, he points out that although the laws “may seem harsh to us today”, Nezahualcóyotl was actively concerned with his people’s well-being, providing food, clothing and an education. Trudy Balch’s translation goes for colloquiallisms such as “snuck” and “get even”, providing some levity to the text, which flows through some long sentences. Pablo Serrano’s illustrations also give breathing space to the density of the story. The artwork echoes the style we associate with the Aztecs as well as that to be found in the vignettes of early manuscripts, which mitigates the bloodiness of some of the scenes.  Jo Anne Engelbert’s translations of the poems also deserve a mention: she has retained their simplicity, which allows the meaning to shine through, as well as the force of the poet himself.

As a resource book, The Poet King of Tezcoco provides insight into a fascinating era but it is also a great read about an inspirational character from history, whose poetry can now be brought to a whole new audience.