A daisy in a batch full of roses 

Saray Ríos
Departamento de Sociología y Antropología
Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, UPR RP

Recibido: 13/03/2026; Revisado: 04/05/2026; Aceptado: 13/05/2026

I thought moving here would finally bring me a sense of belonging,  
a place where I could truly love my Puerto Rican identity,  
where I’d feel at peace.  
where I’d feel at home.  
But instead,  
I feel like a daisy in a batch full of roses.  

I crave the language, wishing it rolled off my tongue as it does theirs.  
I want fluency to feel like hot chocolate on a cold day,  
or an ice-cold popsicle in the heat,  
something consumed, not the mold on bread left untouched.  

I knew that the cold of the whaling city wasn’t home,   
so I wanted the warmth of La Isla del Encanto to be it.  
Maybe I need more time,  
because I do adore Puerto Rico.   

I adore my astonishing friends and family,  
the coquís, the rivers, and the greenery that live on this island.  
But for now,  
I still crave that sense of belonging. 

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Posted on May 20, 2026 by CRiiAS.