A few days ago I attended a literary presentation that featured writer Abel Prieto Jimenez as the guest. I stress the title “writer” because — although we all know that he was the Minister of Culture and currently functions as an advisor to the president of Cuba — his presence there was due only to his role as a scholar.
Patricio Amaro has emerged with one of the strongest musical ideas in recent years. Making himself known at the beginning of the 2000’s, he has periodically succeeded in getting his songs listed on the hit parade.
“There are two types of revolutionaries,” a friend of mine said to me, though I didn’t respond, since I completely disagree with him. “There’s one type of revolutionary — I’d like to tell him — that you can identify by their level of honesty.”
Berroa is a community to the east of Havana. And while it’s a “community,” properly speaking, its only current importance is as a commercial zone. In it is located Havana’s famous duty-free zone, within which lie numbers of warehouses.
“It’s good that at least that someone is still inspired by literature,” I said, thinking about the less than 15 people who showed up for the two poetry readings I’ve given this month.
Everyone needs spiritual strength for encouragement when things seems to be moving in the wrong direction. Religions, myths and even magic have always played an important role in this regard. In my case, I’m an atheist. I could say that this is by choice, but that wouldn’t be entirely honest.
In the last six months, the tires of the motorcycle that my mother uses have had to be replaced three times. The most recent one didn’t last thirty days. It fell apart, worn out with huge gaping holes.
Almost everyone is charging and collecting for their work “under the table,” and any employee or official who hasn’t started doing the same will soon begin feeling the consequences of their principles when they sit down at their dinner table.
Lilliana Hector is part of a new generation of Cuban troubadours who are now, based on their own merit, part of the island’s musical scene. In her still budding career as a singer-songwriter of the songs that she sings, what makes her stand out is the beauty and depth of her lyrics.
The driver lost his composure and started ranting and raving at the passengers. He then cursed a few words under his breath that I couldn’t understand from where I was standing, but then the bus started moving again.