Sometimes I Swear In Italian

By Anthony Buccino

Antonio Buccino's collection about growing up Italian American in New Jersey and discovering the roots of his ancestors. 

Read about the old neighborhood where the 'bianca lina' man sold bleach to make the white linens; and the young boy growing up in the house his grandfather built, and living upstairs from his scary grandma who spoke no English. 

The collection of verse captures the assimilation of Italian American born and raised in New Jersey and inspired by a trip to Italy where he realizes on his first visit, it also is his home.

This American boy discovers the land his ancestors left to make a better life for his generation. The pigeons that follow him throughout Italy provide the connection to his father - who raised homers - who didn't speak English until he started school - the rich heritage of the old country, and the enormous sacrifice of his grandparents. 

Despite its title, Sometimes I Swear In Italian contains no profanity in any language.

L’America

SPAGHETTI  TREES

BUTCHIE

LEGLESS

DOMENIC

NEEDLE

AMERICAN BOY

OLD MAN

FACCIA BRUTE

PIGEON MAN SECRETS

MONEY IN NEWSPAPERS

THOSE PEOPLE

SOMETIMES I SWEAR IN ITALIAN

BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

I’M NOT GEPETTO

FIFTY-TWO

FOR EVERY BILL

NAMES

SOFIA DELL

SUNDAY DINNER

Egg & Eggplant

MOST AT HOME

ON MY SHOES

BREATHLESS

A BIG LONG FLIGHT

HOT COCOA IN AUGUST

SOLO JULIET

THESE STREETS ARE ALL WET

PIGEONS IN VENICE FOUNTAINS

HOW CAN YOU EAT THAT?

FATHER MET ME IN THE OLD COUNTRY

WAITING FOR THE BBC

DAVID AS STATUE

HOW DO YOU SAY

EGG AND EGGPLANT

RAIN IN PISA

MAIORI AT FERRAGOSTO

NIGHT SHADOW

IN THE SQUARE

ONE EURO FROM A TWO EURO

Sometimes I Swear In Italian

Paperback

ISBN-10: 1466231718

ISBN-13: 978-1466231719

Copyright © 2011 By Anthony Buccino

Published by Cherry Blossom Press,

PO Box 110252, Nutley NJ 07110

Buccino's poetry collections are mostly out of print. Special orders - send email to author.

Sometimes I Swear in Italian

In the new land it will be better.

After this long sea journey
plagued by crowding and vomit
of storms and swells and smells,
we will see the woman of Liberty
and L’America will welcome me.

No hunger there, you know.
The gold paves the road
and spaghetti grows on trees.

With open arms they welcome us
and speak kindly in our native tongue.
It’s good to have compare Giuseppe
watching for you in the new land.

Back home, I will miss la famiglia
and some day when I am prosperous
in the land of ravioli bushes
– where, when you hunger,
you pick the fruit and
nevermore eat the dirt -

Some day, I shall bring them to this new land.

- Spaghetti Trees

Acknowledgements

American Boy published at Poem Factory

Butchie, Money In Newspapers, Pigeon Man Secrets, Old Man, Pigeons In Venice Fountains, Father Met Me in the Old Country, One Euro From A Two Euro published in Sixteen Inches On Center

David As Statue published in Medusa’s Kitchen

Da Vinci Paints My House published in The Quick & Dirty Poets literary journal Up & Under.

Egg And Eggplant published in Sweet Lemons 2

I’m Not Gepetto published in One Morning In Jersey City

Old Man published in Raving Dove Online Literary Magazine

Pigeons in Venice Fountains published in Florida English, Special Italian American Issue

Solo Juliet published in Voices In Italian-Americana

Spaghetti Trees published online at PowWow Papers, Sweet Lemons 2

Those People published in Yountakah Country