Defending our culture

Carilda and Poetry

The Soil
When my grandmother came
she brought a bit of Spanish soil,
when my mother left
she took a bit of Cuban soil.
I will not keep with me a bit of homeland,
I want it all on my grave

Carilda Oliver Labra
Renowned poetess Carilda Oliver Labra hugs the entire planet from her home on 81st and Terry Streets in the western Cuban city of Matanzas, the place she has not left and will never leave.
On her old wood rocking chair, caressed by the breeze that comes from her courtyard, where there is a harmonious kingdom of plants, cats, multi-colored birds and fantasies, Carilda takes refuge in the sweet and sour solitude or her memories to disclose her lyric universe to us.
What does family mean to you?
- It is a very encompassing concept which is not only limited to your parents; it also deals with partners, children, uncles and even friends. People who are loved by their family members are really happy, since family is a gift that enriches us spiritually.
What are the most cherished moments you remember?
- On the occasion of one of my father´s birthdays, when I was about six years old, my mother secretly prepared me to play the piano, and I really did it quite well; my dad was so touched that all of us ended up crying. The triumph of the Revolution on January 1st , 1959 was a happy day and a day of great spiritual resonance to me. I´m also pleased to have obtained the National Poetry and National Literature Prizes and my designation as a member of the Cuban Language Academy, recognitions that I consider gifts that fortune has given me.
What do you think are the saddest moments of your life?
- One of them was when my father died, the loss of a family member that you love is always sad, but there are others that I don´t want to remember, because they made me very unhappy; I prefer to live for the happy moments.
Many experts and fans biasly consider you an erotic poet. What´s your opinion on eroticism and love?
- To me eroticism is desire, sensation, spirituality; therefore, love cannot be exempt from eroticism. Love is everywhere, but you cannot be isolated from the world where we live. My work is also social, philosophical, humanistic.
If we choose one of your poems, the one dedicated to the earth shows your deeply rooted Cuban spirit. What motivated you to write it?
- It turns out that my grandmother, who was from Madrid, came to Cuba shortly before the war of independence against that European country and brought a little bit of Spanish soil with her. She usually smelled it thinking that she would never go back to her country and she never returned. When my mother emigrated, inspired by my grandmother´s memory, she made a little bag which she filled with earth from Matanzas. So, in my poem I said: I will not keep with me a bit of homeland, I want it all on my grave.
What are your priorities this birthday?
- To improve my health, go through my published and unpublished work to correct what I´m not happy with, and above all, to continue writing more prose, though I´ll keep on preferring poetry.

posted by Lilith @ 6:52 AM