Javier Sandoval received Brown University’s Leadership Endowed Award for his work consulting minority-owned businesses. He grew up the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico before immigrating to Texas and North Carolina, and he teaches at the University of Alabama.

A Hard Blessing

by Javier Sandoval

With my broken
             nose in the black
             vomit of my cell toilet

I fumbled out Fuck


and begged the Lord for a prettier life
             without any more mini-mart
             whisky


or top-shelf hand-
             cuffs


People on couch
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