Number 26

by Oprah Oyugi

Why are you just standing there?

Stop it! Why are you staring at me

Why?

Why do you glare at me

with that big black eye?

Do something or get out of

here

that is my school money you're looking at

lying broken in dust

those are Sunday's empanadas

now swamped in flies

I don't want your water

I don't want sad eyes

Give me coins for sheep

or go away and let me and my family die

This poem was written by Oprah as part of 'Poets under Pressure' in response to National Geographic's '50 Greatest Photographs', and was the winning entry. Poets were given ten minutes to create poetry about a photograph chosen from a member of the audience.