I went to the home of famous poet Antón Arrufat, who welcomed me very warmly into his house. We talked for an hour and a half about the complicated history of his work “Los Siete Contra Tebas” which is a play that sought to follow the guidelines of French playwrights of the nineteenth century. We also discussed the theme of homosexuality in his work as well as in the history and politics of Cuba. He told me that persecution still exists and that the Cuban people still largely retain certain misgivings about homosexuals. For example, there was a demonstration a few months ago that was repressed by the police. Arrufat thinks that religion and its historical power in Cuba has a lot to do with this phenomenon.
Arrufat told me a lot about his life and family. He copied poems from an early age and wrote his first play during his childhood. He spent a lot of time around the world and says that his best friends were always scattered throughout many countries. For example, Ignacio Cabrera Infante was one of Arrufat’s best friends, and Arrufat still remembers when they saw each other in London and spent time together after a long time without seeing each other.
—Sergio
