Holy Family School, Nutley, N.J.

Class of 1968, circa 1959+

By Anthony Buccino


 Something tells me you went to catholic school.
Maybe it’s the way you flinch when someone talks with their hands?

And the sight of penguins still makes you sweat and squirm?

Holy Family School, Nutley, N.J.

Holy Family School Nutley, NJ, Kindergargten, Class of 1968

Holy Family School, 1960, Nutley NJ. Copyright 2002 by Anthony Buccino   Holy Family School, Nutley, N.J. 1959-1960

Two views, a morning class and an afternoon class.

Kindergarten Graduation Thumbnail

Holy Family School, June 1960, Nutley NJ. Copyright 2002 by Anthony Buccino

First Communion

FIRST COMMUNION, HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL, MAY 1962

Graduation thumbnail.

Click on thumbnails to see full size photo in a new window.

Graduating Class of '68

Holy Family School Nutley, NJ, Class of 1968


Buccino's Catholic school poem published in Paterson Literary Review

Something Tells Me You Went To Catholic School by Anthony BuccinoAnthony Buccino's poem “Something Tells Me You Went To Catholic School” was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2010 ALLEN GINSBERG POETRY AWARDS, and appears in the Paterson Literary Review, Issue 40, 2012-2013, available from The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Short version.

High School Reunion Trepidation

Those last weeks of high school seemed nothing more than a blur
of doing time to get the opportunity to get on with life.
It was the sky-high toss of that  mortar board
that signaled the beginning of real life.

Class Reunion: Catharsis, Closure or Both

I never had much love for school. I was ready to drop out
in second grade but somehow hung in
so I might enjoy going to high school class reunions.


SOMETHING TELLS ME YOU WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL

 Something tells me you went to catholic school.

Maybe it’s the way you flinch when someone talks with their hands?

Or the way your heart palpitates when a rubber-tipped yardstick is concerned?

And the sight of penguins still makes you sweat and squirm?

 Maybe it's the way you tie your tie, one-two, over and through?

Maybe it's the way you buy up all the World’s Finest chocolate when kids come to the door selling those long brown dollar bars, then get high opening and closing, sniffing the sweetness inside taking you back?

 Something tells me you went to catholic school.

Maybe it's the scapula around your neck or that cross ring on your finger?

Maybe it's the way you sit in your seat, perfectly square, hands folded in front?

Maybe it's the glint in your eye, or the hope of eternity in your heart?

Could it be the way you pray to a different saint for each of your needs?

Something tells me you went to catholic school.

-Anthony Buccino