And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs… Genesis 15:13

Hartford, Connecticut
1919-1930

Angelo became Sonny because he
was first born, followed by Rosario
who became Ray. Then Raphael became
Ralphie, Francesco became Frankie, and
Giovanirro was John. Then the first girl,
Emmanuella was born; she became
Minnie. And then there was an oddity;
they named the next child James, a terribly
non-Italian-sounding name, to be sure.
Then there was Guisseppe who was Joey,
and the last child was Carmella, which they
said Camella, with no “r,” the same way
Grampa cut the “o” – from Stanizzio –
he said it sounded more American.

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John L. Stanizzi is the author of Ecstasy Among Ghosts, Sleepwalking, Dance Against the Wall (www.antrimhousebooks.com), and After the Bell, and Hallelujah Time! (www.bigtablepublishing.com). His poems have appeared in Prairie Schooner, The New York Quarterly, American Life In Poetry, Chiron Review, Tar River Poetry, Rattle, Passages North, The Spoon River Quarterly, Poet Lore, The Connecticut River Review, Freshwater, Boston Literary Review, and many other publications. John has read at many venues throughout Connecticut, including The Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, RJ Julia Booksellers, and the Arts Café Mystic, and his work has been featured on Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac. He is currently an adjunct professor of English at Manchester Community College. He lives with his wife, Carol, in Coventry, Connecticut.  Read more here: http://www.johnlstanizzi.com

Photo credit: Terri Malone