Manuel Parra Pozuelo, long known simply as Manolo Parra, has passed away. In earlier years, he chose a path of quiet endurance and resolute presence, a path that left his family and many friends and colleagues with a tapestry of memories spoken with warmth, faith, and unwavering devotion. I spoke with his grandson, who cried with a dignity that was clearly earned, and reminded him that pride in his grandfather is the rightful inheritance we all share. This truth remains at the core. Like many of us, those who knew him feel a lasting pride in the moments of guidance and the lessons he passed along.
From Socuéllamos, that Manchego by birth, he moved to Alicante after journeys that broadened his soul. There, he stayed true to the roots of his life: a history of political engagement with the communist movement – PCE and EUPV – and a tireless voice in solidarity through CC.OO. From those years, his brilliance stood out: the clarity of his ideas, the energy he poured into every argument, and the wisdom gained from victories and setbacks alike. Two memories endure. First, his drive to persuade, a habit of asking, with a steady gesture toward his head, “Let’s see if I understand myself,” a ritual that echoed his belief in honest self-examination as the path to clarity. He would listen, learn, and then help others understand the deeper truth. Second, on the night of the NATO referendum, when the mood was heavy with disappointment, he found lightness in the moment by saying, with a calm reserve, that a certain habitual discipline would help him carry on. The exact drinks are forgotten, but the sentiment—that there is little to gain from prolonging pain—stayed with all of us.
To many, Manolo stands foremost as a unionist who educated and inspired. Beyond organizing branches, notably the UA’s, there was a profound and lucid conviction that education could be the means by which a democratic society earns dignity. He viewed education as the essential condition for people to reach a level of living worthy of the name, a belief that guided his work and earned him recognition. Among the honors he received, there was one that resonated more than others: the Ramiro Muñoz award, named after a dear friend who was both indispensable and worthy of merit. It symbolized his dedication to defending public education, a cause that shaped his lifelong mission and earned him reverence among colleagues and students alike.
And then, or rather in addition, he pursued poetry, historical memory, and literary criticism without ever losing sight of breadth and generosity in his work. He treated poetry as both devotion of mind and action, a discipline linking past and future, something more than art alone. The Aristotelian idea of poetry as ethical guidance informed his approach: he read the work of the Hernandianos with a fervor that was almost tangible, always seeking to grasp the essence and share its fruits with others. He believed that poetry, especially when rooted in a life of social awareness, could illuminate the path to a more human and just society. He approached Hernando’s poetry as a duty to disseminate knowledge and beauty, while remaining mindful of the historical and biographical context that shaped the poet’s voice.
In the eyes of those who knew him as a unionist poet, there is a brief, almost austere line that captures a life rich with purpose, a line that does not always reveal the full color of a life lived aloud and in public. It is a farewell that feels almost impossible, yet true: a dream of land stirred by the winds, a peaceful tree in the quiet of the afternoon, a steadfast Arista pursuing the highest aims, and the presence of light within oblivion. In these lines lies the memory of a man who left a spark in the hearts of many. He leaves behind a trail of red flags, desks, pens, and a universe of verses that remain to be read, studied, and cherished. May those memories accompany the living as they go forward, and may the example of his steadfastness provide direction, even as time moves on and the world keeps changing. A gentle wish remains—to be remembered with warmth, and to carry the sense that one can live with courage, care, and a commitment to others as long as there is breath and memory to sustain it.