I am Jose

I am Jose,
stranded in a planet of perplexities,
absorbed in the revolution of a
postmodern society,
influenced by the carefree,
shaped by standards,
restrained by social stratification,
and changed by liberal culture.
My ancestors
have lost respect for who they are
and have gained
a personality defined by their culture.
And now!
It is my turn to choose
between
the freedom of
self affirmation,
regardless of society’s criticism,
or
to live in the grip
of ancient, cultural, and
religious standards,
bareness of the individual
and an accepted public image…
I shrug my head down in shame
as I see the alternations
of my character
evoke ideas of superficiality,
everyone’s eyes on me.
I am Jose.
I must not fall
and accept this reality
for me, and I
must affirm on my own
who I am.
A strand of my personality
could not be altered by the ideals of Hispanic conservative cultures.
I have surpassed their limits,
and I lived.
A strand of my character
has been liberated from
the idea that being gay was wrong.
I have reached acceptance,
and I am happy!
I have lived the beliefs
I have set.
I have satisfied my right to
be free.
I have existed.
in the streets of Los Angeles
in the hindrance of acceptance
in the eyes of my ancestors
in the hearts of my friends
and
in the blunt mouths of my peers.
And now I shed tears,
the smiles of the world vanquish my
worry.
Like the stars that fill the
night sky, each
will always stay shinning bright in the same place…
I am


And in all the country,
the world,
the galaxy,
the universe,
my name will forever ECHO.
Artist!
Performer!
Homosexual!
Heterosexual!
Bisexual!
Latino!
Hispanic!
Spanish!
or whatever I consider myself,
I look no different
` I feel no different
I fear
and
brave the same.
I am the product of my culture, and society and
I refuse to be denied.
I am Jose.
The skeptics are large
but my soul is fierce,
my belief static,
my heart is genuine.
I am Liberal artist and Latin American.
I SHALL STRIVE!
I WILL STRIVE!