Rob Angeli
Bio
sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt
There are tears of things, and mortal objects touch the mind.
-Virgil Aeneid I.462
Stories (164)
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Would you Like a Bag with That?
Gretchen pondered each ka-ching of the till as customer after customer passed through her line. Management had told her this morning: always ask if they want a bag, don’t just give it them. This is absolutely a matter of policy. She was favorite cashier at the neighborhood liquor store, and although she did not drink, she flourished in this world of colorful bottles. Every customer had their story, and they all gave it in summary or installment as she checked them out at the line. She thought she should compile the little stories into a huge book, to showcase a slice of life. She rehearsed to herself: always remember to ask if they would like a bag; never just give it to them; that’s the key.
By Rob Angeli3 years ago in Fiction
Ortolans at Midnight
Jane Seymour awoke from a deep sleep at about midnight with a mighty craving for ortolans: pretty little songbirds, drowned in brandy, simmered and eaten whole (guts and all) heads held in a napkin. She had just given birth to young Edward and so granted Henry the long-awaited son he had divorced and beheaded for.
By Rob Angeli3 years ago in Fiction
Mary Queen of Scots as a Writer: Part II
Sometimes what defines the legacy of a remarkable person is not their astounding rise to success, but the breadth of experience and tragic dignity that is gained from a life of suffering and thwarted aims. If you lose your kingdom, or even your head, maybe something greater is gained through the perennial power of the written word.
By Rob Angeli3 years ago in FYI
The Story of Cypress: 2 Sonnets
The Ancient Greeks had an etiological myth explaining the origin of cypress trees, which are associated with mourning. The god Apollo had befriended a boy named Cyparissus, who used to go about with him hunting and duetting on the lyre; however there was one animal, a large and gentle stag, that Cyparissus had made his pet and therefore not only would he never harm the creature, but he swore to protect it all his life. He pampered and spoiled the stag, feeding it from his hand and decorating the beast with all kinds of precious jewels, necklaces and such, as well as fresh flowers in season. The youngster's divine friend would give him all kinds of votary offerings humans had strewn his altars with, so that he could adorn his pet so splendidly.
By Rob Angeli3 years ago in Poets
