This morning, we woke up to an outpouring of heartfelt reactions and tributes on social media for well-known writer Lina de Feria, who passed away yesterday in Havana, Cuba. Here are translated excerpts from ACN’s “Falleció en La Habana destacada poeta y ensayista Lina de Feria” (10 March 2026). Our warmest condolences to her friends and family. [Many thanks to Mary Ann Gosser-Esquilín for sharing the link to this obituary article.]
Prominent poet and essayist from Santiago de Cuba, Lina de Feria (1945-2026), winner of Cuba’s National Prize for Literature (2019) and an essential voice in contemporary Cuban poetry, died this Monday at the age of 80, according to sources from the Ministry of Culture (Mincult) and the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC).
Born in Santiago de Cuba, she graduated with a degree in Philology from the University of Havana. Her solid humanistic education laid the foundations for a life dedicated to poetic creation and the critical study of literature, work that established her as one of the leading figures of contemporary Cuban poetry.
From her first book of poems, Casa que no existía [“The House that Didn’t Exist”], which won the UNEAC’s David Prize in 1967, de Feria opened a line of introspection that marked a break with the lyrical tradition of her time.
Her body of work, comprising more than 20 published titles, is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to inspiration as the driving force of creativity, while spurning trends and compromises. Her poetry, imbued with spirituality, existentialism, and social critique, became a space for freedom and reflection. Books such as her 1990 A mansalva de los años [roughly, “Harbored from the Years”] solidified her avant-garde approach and questioning gaze, while her forays into essays and playwriting broadened the boundaries of her creative output.
Recognized with the National Critics’ Award four times, the National Culture Award (2003), the Nicolás Guillén Prize (2008), and the title of Maestra de Juventudes (2015), Lina de Feria also served as a mentor to new generations of writers. [. . .]
Excerpts translated by Ivette Romero. For the full obituary article (in Spanish), see https://www.acn.cu/cultura/fallecio-en-la-habana-destacada-poeta-y-ensayista-lina-de-feria