My Country and I

Claudia Arzuaga Pacheco 
Programa de Estudios Interdisciplinarios 
Facultad Humanidades, UPR RP 

 Recibido: 21/02/2025; Revisado: 23/05/2025; Aceptado: 29/05/2025 

Show me the ways in which 
my country and I  
are not the same 
and I will show you the color of my blood.  

Red 
the shade of three stripes on our proud flag. 

The light blue of the seas and skies,  
my favorite color, so similar to my lover's eyes. 
A star alone but bright 
standing strong amidst 
disputes and fights 
and lastly, white, the way my curls will turn 
when I’m old
still here 
in my holy home. 

My green voice parrots back our history 
so my brother will not forget 
the coquí song 
similar to the anthem on my tongue,  
my left fist fearlessly raised.  
We remain. 

While hurricanes blow past 
demolishing the place we celebrate mass.  
Another inch of land sold 
developed and destroyed, tearing apart  
one more piece of my soul 
but I stand here today  
like El Yunque,  
back straight,  
my hands may shake  
yet here I stay.  

Born amidst the sun and rain  
heat and waves  
made from Puerto Rican clay;  
the labor of my mother's womb 
which later birthed her pain.  
Our country is not for sale.  
Our language has not gone stale.  
My skin is not yet pale. 

Death is not strong enough  
to release me from this.  
My hope and desire, the gist  
of poems and songs for the choir. 

My very spirit tied to the river  
roots growing and seeping  
with hungry ambition.  
I will haunt our patch of land—  
floating, heavenly, a hundred by  
thirty-five, its people not good  
at following the tyrant's commands— 

until the chains are finally broken  
and we stop being a token  
oh Borikén  
until freedom is finally awoken  
and your native name is largely spoken. 

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