The literary world of Holguin commemorates the birth of a warrior of her time on February 11th. She was christened with a name unusual for her generation: Lourdes Désiree María de los Dolores Fidelina.
This true Holguin native, born in 1905, secured her place in history as one of the boldest voices in Cuban poetry. Transforming literature into both weapon and shield to face life’s challenges.
Under the pseudonym Marilola X, this woman became a symbol of resistance and creativity, breaking molds and defying the conventions of the era in a social and cultural context that limited women’s aspirations.
From the late 1920s, she immersed herself in the literary world not only as a form of expression but also as a means to support her family. A divorced mother of three young children, she faced this reality with courage, defying social norms.
Although she initially used the pseudonym Marilola X to protect her identity. Her talent and determination soon made her unmistakable as she began contributing to “El Heraldo de Holguin.” Under the direction of Julio Albanés, and to the magazine “Nosotras,” dedicated to women.
In a period when the female voice was just beginning to be heard. She distinguished herself by her ability to be involved in all aspects of the publishing process. Publishing eight books of poetry between 1934 and 1955. This demonstrated not only her expressive power through moving verses. Also her skill in managing sales and promoting her work.
Marilola X’s life was marked by tragedy when she lost her eldest son, Henry García, at the age of 22, under circumstances that were never clarified. He was working as a typist at the newspaper “The Indian” at the Guananamo Naval Base in 1955. This event left a profound mark on her personal and literary life.
After 1959, she moved to Havana with her children but never forgot her homeland. So where she returned every year to give a handmade gift basket to the first child born on the same day as the son she lost in his youth.
Marilola X is remembered today not only as a talented poet, but as a warrior. Who defied the norms of her time. Her legacy endures in every verse she wrote and in every life she touched with her courage and her art. The story of this woman from Holguin is a testament to the transformative power of poetry and the indomitable feminine spirit in an era of change.
By: Leannis Berbén Leyva
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