Almost Evenly Divided
by Emma Suarez-Baez

My life
almost evenly divided
17 ½ years Puertorican
20 ½ years New Yorker

I’ve lost
a land that felt mine
flamboyanes, canarias
going to the bank con papi
learning to cook like mami
las parrandas
the sun that warms up the chickens
el campo en Lajas
mi prima Adira
la vida lenta
ser mujer puertorriquena
ser mujer puertorriquena

Almost evenly divided
but half lost

from the book What have You Lost?, compiled by Naomi Shihab Nye