The recent passing of Cuban poet, storyteller, and essayist Oscar Kessel Céspedes was announced on Facebook by editor and writer Dulce María Sotolongo Carrington, who is associated with the Cuban Book Institute. Her post quickly circulated on social media.
Sotolongo bid farewell to Kessel with a heartfelt message: "A poet has died. The world must endure the impotence of words. He was mad, as most poets are. The sane are mathematically flawed; only poets know that the moon has but one phase and that death plants you in eternity, awaiting a mathematically impossible miracle." She concluded simply: "Oscar Kessel is gone. Silence."
Born in Havana in 1950, Kessel was a multifaceted intellectual, known not only as a poet but also as a narrator, essayist, journalist, scriptwriter, television advisor, and cultural promoter.
He held degrees in Hispanic Language and Literature as well as Philosophy, and taught at the University of Havana.
Kessel served as the chief editor of the magazine Proposiciones under the Pablo Milanés Foundation, an institution that sought some degree of autonomy within Cuba's cultural framework.
In 2000, he received the prestigious I Nosside Caribbean International Poetry Prize, a significant milestone in his career that linked him to Caribbean poetry on a broader scale.
Among his published works are the poetry collections "De los ríos posibles" (2000) and "A la manera de Tiresias" (2006), along with the 2021 ethnological essay "El Tatandi de los Musundis," co-authored with Bertha Hernández López.
His last known book, "La otra muerte del Zunzún," was published by Iliada Ediciones outside of Cuba, highlighting the challenges of the island's publishing market.
The publisher describes the book as "an irreverent and sincere look at everyday Cuba, with its challenges, dreams, frustrations, and disappointments."
Kessel took part in the Havana International Book Fair in 2011 and 2012 and was present at the Palabra del Mundo International Festival, where he was recognized with the Nosside Caribbean Prize.
The news of his death was not confirmed by official Cuban media or the Ministry of Culture, a common occurrence in Cuba due to the limited capabilities of state media to cover the deaths of intellectuals beyond the most prominent circles.
The year 2026 has been particularly harsh for Cuban literature: on March 10, poet Lina de Feria, recipient of the 2019 National Literature Award, passed away, and on March 31, intellectual Pedro Juan de la Portilla Cabrera died in Mexico.
With the loss of Oscar Kessel, Cuban poetry mourns a voice that captured the essence of the island with authenticity and, even from within its cultural institutions, maintained a unique and challenging perspective on the nation's reality.
Understanding Oscar Kessel's Legacy
Who was Oscar Kessel?
Oscar Kessel was a Cuban poet, storyteller, and essayist known for his multifaceted contributions to literature and culture. He was also a journalist, scriptwriter, television advisor, and cultural promoter.
What are some notable works by Oscar Kessel?
Notable works by Oscar Kessel include the poetry collections "De los ríos posibles" (2000) and "A la manera de Tiresias" (2006), as well as the ethnological essay "El Tatandi de los Musundis" (2021), co-authored with Bertha Hernández López.
How did Oscar Kessel contribute to Cuban culture?
Oscar Kessel contributed to Cuban culture through his diverse roles as a poet, editor, and cultural promoter, as well as his involvement in events like the Havana International Book Fair and the Palabra del Mundo International Festival.