Reinaldo Arenas quotes

Reinaldo Arenas was a Cuban poet, novelist, and playwright, renowned for his fierce opposition to the Cuban government. His works often explored themes of political repression, sexuality, and freedom. He became an influential voice in exile literature and a symbol of resistance to totalitarianism. Here are 10 of his quotes:

I have always considered it despicable to grovel for your life as if life were a favor. If you cannot live the way you want, there is no point in living. (Reinaldo Arenas)
In exile one is nothing but a ghost ... I ceased to exist when I went into exile. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
The writer has a fundamental responsibility to write well or to write the best he can, because if he doesn't he's not a writer. And when a writer writes, he's always referring to a social and historical context... View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
I've always been very interested in the short story. Compared to the often exhausting world of the novel, the short story offers a quicker reward, and there's something appealing about its greater spontaneity... View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
Mine is not an obedient writing. I think that literature as any art has to be irreverent. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
Trees have a secret life that is only revealed to those willing to climb them. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
Before getting to my mother's house, I would always think of her on the porch or even on the street, sweeping. She had a light way of sweeping, as if removing the dirt were not as important as moving the broom over the ground. Her way of sweeping was symbolic; so airy, so fragile, with a broom she tried to sweep away all the horrors, all the loneliness, all the misery that had accompanied her all her life. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
There's just one place to live – the impossible. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
To discover a city is in itself a unique event, but when we have the privilege of sharing it with friends most dear to us, it becomes a once-in-a-lifetime experience. View quote
Reinaldo Arenas
I never keep a fixed schedule. I like to write for a while, move around, read, drink something, come back. But when I've entered the world of the novel, that demands more concentration. It's hard to even write a letter, because it means leaving that world. To put aside the typewriter and take out letter paper, or stop because you have to pay the phone bill, is terrible... View quote
Reinaldo Arenas