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Españolback JAVIER ETCHEVARREN
translation from the Spanish by Jesse Lee Kercheval
The Corner Grocery
My mother worked.
My middle brother studied.
My older brother studied and worked.
And me, I was cared for in the corner grocery
of the Galicians Pilar and Luis.
The Galician Pilar let me help her.
My specialty was weighing the fruit.
One time, accidentally, I saw her nipples.
Even now, grocery stores excite me.
The Galician Luis took me in his truck
to buy supplies.
On the way back, he always stopped in a bar
to drink a few whiskeys
and bought my silence
with a Coca-Cola.
To his health, I sometimes drink
whiskey with Coke. 
Contributor’s notes: Jesse Lee Kercheval
Contributor’s notes: Javier Etchevarren
The Corner Grocery
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The Library