Under the Samán Tree: Poems on Home, Longing, and Belonging

by Rosa Lia Gilbert, Rachel Joy Welcher (Foreword)

Genres: Poetry

106 pages, Paperback

Published October 27, 2025

Reviews

[Elinor N · Rating 5 out of 5]

In each poem my heart is redirected and longing for eternity a promise each of us finds our soul yearning for - home is where the heart is and God our Creator in Heaven beckons us Heaven-bound to Him.

[Emma McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Are the mangoes ripe yet? / They answer a sullen green “no””

Rosa girl the way I am craving a mango right now. Your poetry is so lush and illuminates the longing we have for the coming kingdom ♥️

[Rachel Lynne Sakasita · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know it’s going to be a banger when reading the “Note to Readers” tempts you to tears and makes your heart say “oh 🥹”

Thank you, Rosa Lía, for inviting us to “journey with [you] to the samán tree” (from the aforementioned note to readers). Thank you for letting us press our hands against the windowpane of your God-glorifying lived experiences and catch a glimpse of His faithfulness to you, your identity, and your family as you

・learn the tentative embrace of your identity and how to “use the term carefully” in “Paradox of an Immigrant”
・wrestle with making tangible “…enough love / to last us all eternity” in “Things I Need to Prove to the USCIS That I Love You”
・share Dominican pride with through “words that burn” in “Black Café”
・long for “the kind of faith / that prays for guava trees” as you watch your tiny daughter pray in “Guava Tree Prayer”
・find what feels “like coming home” in “Portrait of a Woman Returning from Exile”

and so much, much more.

@rosagilbertpoetry ‘s reflections on homesickness, family (both Stateside and in her beloved mother country), and the Lord’s faithfulness in giving her a home and identity that persists no matter which country and culture she encounters are filled with honesty and light. While my own experiences are vastly different than hers in some key ways, I found my heart twisting with nostalgia and yearning (and occasionally chuckling at the confusion of it all) as I recalled my own intercultural marriage, as well as the wild reality of embracing life in a country that doesn’t always want to embrace YOU.

And yet, overall, I was impressed with one truth as I turned the pages of _Under the Samán Tree_ : the Lord’s kindness remains unflagging no matter the circumstances we’re in, no matter the chaos in our hearts.

In my opinion, great poetry enthralls your mind, pours beauty into your heart, and stirs contemplation about life and the Lord, and Rosa Lía’s poetry has done all three. In case you can’t tell: I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sit here eating mango in coconut milk, because Rosa’s poems transfused her longing into my own mouth, and I craved their juice and color as though I too, had grown up reaching for their heaviness to meet my hand. Her honest and masterful imagery does this: it takes us in to feel her childhood, homesickness and love as though we are her during these too short pages.

I read the entire collection in one night, it was such an easy and picturesque journey. Several of these poems are ones I will revisit—there was a richness and softness that soothed as it explored. I’m happy this is one of the books I’m starting the year off with. It’s the kind of relatable yet educational writing that I love.

[Lisa Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently finished Rosa’s new collection of poems and it’s absolutely beautiful! I feel like I know her as a friend now. But I also want to know more of her story, at the same time!
I really appreciated the story she threaded throughout the entire book and the accessible language; with the Spanish pieces adding flavor and spice. My favorite pieces are the ones that resonated personally, like “Wallpaper”, “The Simple Life” and “My Soul Waits”, but I also savored the ones that taught me something new, culturally. Rosa has a story-teller gift and a talent for hitting you with a punch in the middle or end with a surprise twist or a metaphor-exposing moment. I read it through in one day; couldn’t put it down!

[Riley Morsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, these poems were juicy sunshine to my soul. I'll write a more in-depth review soon! But whoever sees this... Do not delay to read this beautiful collection!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars

[Michelle Choiniere · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so beautiful. Each poem was well written and made me feel the treasures of the tropics, the longing for home and the sweetness of belonging. It brought tears to my eyes. Highly recommend!

[Deborah Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosa Lia Gilbert’s “Under The Samán Tree” sings the universal anthem of longing. This is Gilbert’s profound journey as an American immigrant finding her footing, and as a believer longing for her eternal home. As you go back with her to the colorful, sun-drenched Dominican Republic, you'll feel the tender ache in her verse and the resolute faith that comes from discovering her true home and her new home in America. This is a truly special book, made even richer by its bilingual format. I am lingering in Gilbert’s world, experiencing her vibrant verse that is absolutely dazzling!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this collection. I've already given it to a friend to read. The theme of being pilgrims in the earth, looking for that city not made by human hands, is so near to my heart that I was already in tears just reading the introductory note. On a more practical note, I have had friends and peers who belong to two cultures, so my curiosity was provoked by Rosa's experience of grappling with how to define home and raising a daughter who belongs to two homes (plus her eternal one). You HAVE to read this. You won't regret it.

[Kassi Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Gilbert’s collection, I felt swept away by lush imagery and narrative story telling. She has a rare ability to bring you along for the journey. Poems reach the depths and heights of human emotion—lament and celebration while also intersecting the challenges of our cultural moment with tenderness. I highly recommend this book. Definitely get yourself a copy!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosa's voice is incredibly clear and strong in this lyric collection suffused with beautifully-rendered details of her life, her faith, and the experiences of moving to America from her beloved Dominican Republic. A vibrant, beautiful collection! Some of my favorite poems describe her relationship with her daughter, the joys, hopes, and dreams of raising her as a child of two cultures