Four Defiant Skyscrapers - 1. Four Defiant Skyscrapers

Very Beautiful Indeed 🌞

I can easily see Carlos making these same points in one of his stories in fact I know he did

The eloquent words you wrote have been expressed in the 70’s,80's,90's etc.up until now the present it has been 50 something years since Stonewall happen and your words are sadly still relevant let's hope someday someone reads this and doesn't know the significance of what you wrote because it is no longer an issue

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. And Carlos wouldn't only whole-heartedly agree with you. He'd be out there making the points, arguing forcefully, defiant and in your face (because he was who he was and only he got to decide that). In the current state of things in Florida, we need more Carlos and less of everything else.

Powerful verses!  Isn't this also the state of actions in all of history:  the "conquerors" of a region reshape that region in their image and in doing so, force the conquered to follow a new definition of what it means to be civilized?  Religions do it, governments do it, "nationalities" do it...even parents, schools, neighborhoods do it!  

Thank you for reminding us of Carlos:  his voice is missed greatly by all of us  who loved him through his powerful writing. 

However, your words are no less powerful!  Thank you for sharing your insights and reflections via your poetry.

Beautiful and powerful verse. I can just see Carlos reading these and agreeing with you about everything said.

Wow. Anger, power, and pride, encased in beautiful words. A very fitting tribute to Carlos--I have no doubt he would approve--and so much more. Some of your finest, Parker. I found them thrilling. Thank you.

All I can say is wow in amazement...

I can choose

to fly a rainbow flag

and wear my purple unicorn tie,

or simply plant my yard in colorful flowers,

but attraction is etched in my genes,

so you get no choice in

who I love.

19 hours ago, JohnnyC said:

Very Beautiful Indeed 🌞

Thank you.

14 hours ago, weinerdog said:

I can easily see Carlos making these same points in one of his stories in fact I know he did

The eloquent words you wrote have been expressed in the 70’s,80's,90's etc.up until now the present it has been 50 something years since Stonewall happen and your words are sadly still relevant let's hope someday someone reads this and doesn't know the significance of what you wrote because it is no longer an issue

Defiant was CJ’s Jeep, but it was so often the kind of tone Carlos set. They called him to mind directly. 

12 hours ago, northie said:

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. And Carlos wouldn't only whole-heartedly agree with you. He'd be out there making the points, arguing forcefully, defiant and in your face (because he was who he was and only he got to decide that). In the current state of things in Florida, we need more Carlos and less of everything else.

I could not agree more. We need far more of Carlos, and much less cultural direction from above. He wasn’t the biggest fan of my poetic work, but I think he might have liked these.

12 hours ago, pvtguy said:

Powerful verses!  Isn't this also the state of actions in all of history:  the "conquerors" of a region reshape that region in their image and in doing so, force the conquered to follow a new definition of what it means to be civilized?  Religions do it, governments do it, "nationalities" do it...even parents, schools, neighborhoods do it!  

Thank you for reminding us of Carlos:  his voice is missed greatly by all of us  who loved him through his powerful writing. 

However, your words are no less powerful!  Thank you for sharing your insights and reflections via your poetry.

These poems remind me very much of Carlos. I cannot imagine Carlos  being conquered. Thank you for your encouraging words:

10 hours ago, chris191070 said:

Beautiful and powerful verse. I can just see Carlos reading these and agreeing with you about everything said.

Thank you very much. I hope he is agreeing in spirit someplace. 

5 hours ago, Headstall said:

Wow. Anger, power, and pride, encased in beautiful words. A very fitting tribute to Carlos--I have no doubt he would approve--and so much more. Some of your finest, Parker. I found them thrilling. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I’m glad you found these encouraging and powerful. If they’re fitting ways to remember Carlos, then they have hit the mark. 

3 hours ago, drsawzall said:

All I can say is wow in amazement...

I can choose

to fly a rainbow flag

and wear my purple unicorn tie,

or simply plant my yard in colorful flowers,

but attraction is etched in my genes,

so you get no choice in

who I love.

Thank you very much. 

1 hour ago, Valkyrie said:

The power in these started at the beginning and continued to build to a perfect crescendo!  These verses capture the spirit of Carlos perfectly! Well done, and thank you for sharing these with us  

Thank you very much. I’m glad you think they captured Carlos; they echoed his voice to me. 

Perfect, Parker. They hit in all the right places, and defiant, is apt.

On 1/2/2024 at 1:47 AM, Parker Owens said:

Thank you very much. I’m glad you found these encouraging and powerful. If they’re fitting ways to remember Carlos, then they have hit the mark. 

They did, more than you can imagine. I was 12 when Stonewall occurred. I’ve seen hard-fought rights begrudgingly conceded and now those same rights under so much threat. But the genes will win out.

A beautiful piece. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing Parker!  Carlos was out, proud and insistent that everyone deserves respect until they demonstrate they do not... and yes we need more like him!

4 hours ago, Daddydavek said:

Thanks for sharing Parker!  Carlos was out, proud and insistent that everyone deserves respect until they demonstrate they do not... and yes we need more like him!

Thanks very much. If you hear his voice in these, then these poems did what I hoped. 

16 hours ago, Gary L said:

They did, more than you can imagine. I was 12 when Stonewall occurred. I seen hard-fought rights begrudgingly conceded and now those same rights under so much threat. But the genes will win out.

A beautiful piece. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your thoughts. 

20 hours ago, Defiance19 said:

Perfect, Parker. They hit in all the right places, and defiant, is apt.

I’m very grateful for your kind words. 

This poem is really terrific, both in structure and content. You've captured some of the themes contained within Carlos' work perfectly. Thanks for writing this.