Quote by Dulce María Loynaz: “Solitude is a necessary evil, a bitter friend.”

Loynaz describes solitude as something both unwanted and essential. It's painful, like a 'bitter friend,' but also crucial for introspection and understanding oneself, even if it brings discomfort and a touch of melancholy to the individual.

From a collection published shortly after the Cuban Revolution's early stirrings, Loynaz's introspective poetry often reflected a search for meaning and self amid social and political isolation, a common theme for many intellectuals.

Cuban poet and novelist awarded the Cervantes Prize in 1992, often called the greatest Cuban poet of the twentieth century. Her surrealist and symbolist poetry explored love, solitude, and the natural world, and she wrote much of her major work in near-isolation during the Cuban Republic era.