Although Blanca Varela's publications have been relatively few, her verses have been recognized by critics as among the most poignant expressions of the human condition. In 2001 she was awarded the Premio Octavio Paz; she was the fourth person to receive this honor since it was established in 1997 by the Octavio Paz Foundation. This prize, granted for poetry and essay writing, is one of the most prestigious in its class and is accompanied by a $100,000 endowment. Varela is considered a radical poet who is not afraid of presenting her experiences; her work has placed her among the most relevant poets of contemporary Latin American literature.

Blanca Varela was born on 10 August 1926 in Lima, Peru. Several members of her family were writers; her mother, who had a great influence on her life, was Esmeralda González, also known as Serafina Quinteras, a famous composer of Peruvian waltzes. Her father...