Edge City: The Chronicles of Bobby A: Un Italian’ in the Usa

By Robert Agnoli

Edges, both jagged and sharp, spring from the

tension of living and maturing between two conflicting factors:

cultural assimilation on the one hand suppressing ethnic identity

in the public square and on the other, developing a personal

identity which internalized that heritage. Edge upon edge, these

elements represent the conflicts for Italian immigrants within the

melting pot of Lamerica. This collection of memoirs and reflections, poetry and prose, takes the reader through one mans experiences

as a first born Italian in America and an American in Italy.

Italian-Americans will recognize the challenges of assimilation

in Edge City. Readers of all ethnicities

will gain a new understanding of

the Italian culture in America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Feb 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781480813809

Robert Agnoli

Robert Agnoli is an organizer and author. Born in New York City of immigrant parents, Bob is a graduate of New York Military Academy and holds a bachelor’s degree in history/government from Fairleigh Dickenson University and a master’s degree in Social Work (CO) from Fordham University.   Bob has been a Vice President of the American Italian Cultural Roundtable and co-producer of “Jazz ItaloAmericano” at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill. He is a past President of the National Council of Columbia Associations in Civil Service and was Chair and Master of Ceremonies of the conference on “Utilization of Italian Americans in Civil Service” held at CUNY. In addition, he has been an executive board member of the Social Service Employees Union L.O. 371 and chaired SSEU’S conference on “The Future of Social Work in the Public Sector” at the Essex House. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian American Writers Association.   His recently published poem, Night Fog, appears in the special 2012 Halloween Issue of Idea Gems Magazine.

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Copyright © 2015 Robert Agnoli.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-1379-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-1380-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014922075

Archway Publishing rev. date: 02/20/2015

Contents

L’america

Tale from the Air

The Motorcycle

Cadore

Lost and Found

Moon Bright

Song for My Father

L’Altri La

Ballad of the Italian One

Lou Reed Had a Liver Transplant

Space

Wild Suburban Boy

The Rock

Bobby and Marty

Comedy

Rocket Across the Face of America

The Cool

Eyes

A Woman’s Laughter

Màre

Love

The Woodchuck and the Crow

Sul Moto a Nona’s

Nona’s Room

Love’s Expression

The Old House

Il Gatto Gigante

Drafted

The Medic

Night Run

The Package

Words

Woodstock Spirit

Can You Dance?

To my fa

mily—

My parents, my sister, Lydia,

And to my wife, Gloria

The idea of Edge City: The Chronicles of Bobby A. Un Italian’ in the USA was developed from a combination of thoughts: the edge or the tension of life/living, of ethnicity, of cultural assimilation experienced variously through a glass darkly. Edge upon edge. L’america.

A first cut, The Chronicles of Bobby A., starts the tale.

Acknowledgments

Emelise Aleandri. A friend and an inspiration. Her knowledge, energy, and perceptive editorial comment are a godsend. Thanks, Emelise, for being there.

Clare Ultimo. Her concretizing the creatable and expert process management kept the forward momentum of Edge City. Thank you, Clare.

Norma Jean Anmuth. Her keen insight, observations, and reader’s feedback on the manuscript were critical.

Robert Pfefferman. His patient listening, dialogue observation, and perceptive comments contributed a space of creative energy.

Italian American Writers Association (IAWA). For the opportunity to participate in readings, to hear and interact with other writers and authors, and for the opportunity to read and develop. Thank you, Bob Viscusi, Maria Lisella, and Gil Fagiani for your comments and critiques and to James Periconi, Marisa Frasca, Peter Patinella, Lisa Paolucci, Jessica Femiani, Rosalind Palermo Stevenson, Susan Scutti, Susan Weiman, and Amy Barone.

And to the inspiration of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Jack Kerouac.

9 O’clock News

That fool of a blackbird came too late.

The pigeons have already eaten everything.

—Eugenio Montale, Otherwise: Last and First