Margaret Randall on Ernesto Cardenal

“Ernesto Cardenal, who has often spoken of his dream of retiring to Solentiname where he would "chronicle the revolution," was asked on a recent U.S. tour how he writes poems while attending to his duties as Minister of Culture. He replied, "I write short ones."”

“One of Latin America's most important living poets (perhaps one of the most important poets writing in the Spanish language) is Ernesto Cardenal...Among the living poets, Cardenal has without a doubt exercised the greatest influence. His open, conversational style (which he has called exteriorismo, the voice of the everyday, of the real objects about us) has had an impact upon hundreds to whom his verse has been meaningful, and now-through the poetry workshops conducted by the Ministry of Culture-the influence has become institutionalized to a certain extent.”