Lily Flores Palomino (b.1937)

Born in the Andean city of Abancay, in the Peruvian Highlands, Lily Flores Palomino inherited the popular Quechua tradition of her communities before completing her secondary and university studies in Lima, the coastal capital of Peru. She started publishing poetry in Spanish before switching to Quechua in a well-received bilingual collection, for which she provided her own Spanish translation. The poem “Puka pulleracha” (“Pollerita roja”) comes from her book Troj de poemas queshua castellano (1971). She also published Phawaq tite (1985) and Waqalliq-takin/Tañido de campanas (1989).

According to Julio Noriega Bernuy, “Flores’ poems can be understood in terms of the traditional wayno, whose performance requires not only particular dialogue, metaphors, and similes in all their polyphonic dimensions, but also a feminine tone of voice to guarantee its authenticity” (Pichka Harawikuna 12).
  • Noriega Bernuy, Julio., ed. Pichka Harawikuna: Five Quechua Poets, An Anthology. Latin American Literary Review Press, 1998.
On the other hand, Lily Flores Palomino also wrote politically committed poetry. As Alison Krögel points out, “[Flores’ poetry] offers up direct, vivid imagery and unadorned verses that condemn the suffering of countless indigenous Andeans” (The Cambridge Companion 219)
  • Hart, Stephen M., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Latin American Poetry. Cambridge University Press, 2018.

Puka pulleracha

¿T'ikachu warmichu kanki
chay, sumaj
pullerachaykiwan?
¿Amapolachu, clavelinachu
chay puka uyaykiwan?

Warmin kakuni, taytay,
sipasmi kakuni, mamay.

Puka pulleracha.
¿Yutuchu, vicuñachu kanki,
chaytaj, rijurinkitaj
chinkakunkitaj? ¿luychuchu,
viscachachu kanki
chaytaj, qayrallana kanki?

Manapuni hinachu, taytay,
manapuni hinachu, mamay.

Puka pulleracha.
Warmi kaspaqa, ñoqaman asuyamuy,
t'ika kajtikiqa, ñoqa t'ipisayki,
luychupas, yutupis kajtikiqa
Munakuyniywan lasusayki
Raphrachaykitataq kuchusayki

Munajtikiqa warmi
munajtikiqa t'ika
t'ikapas, warmipas
luychupas, yutupas
ima munasqaykin kani
puka pullerachan kani.

Pollerita roja

¿Eres flor o mujer,
con esa hermosa pollerita?
¿Amapola o clavelina,
con esa tu cara roja?

Soy mujer, señor,
soy joven, señora.

Pollerita roja.
¿Perdiz o vicuña eres,
por qué apareces y
desapareces?
¿eres venado o vizcacha
que tan esquiva eres?

Imposible señor,
imposible señora

Pollerita roja
Si mujer eres, acércate a mí,
si flor eres yo te arrancaré,
y si eres venado o perdiz
con mi querer te enlazaré
y tus alitas cortaré

Si tú quieres, mujer
si tú quieres, flor
flor o mujer,
venado o perdiz
lo que tú quieras soy
pollerita roja soy.

Spanish translation by Lily Flores Palomino