A Woman Called Somalia by Mgcini Nyoni

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The vultures are circling

we won’t last another week.

They know it

But we might:

sell your extra handbags

food for a year

get rid of your cosmetics bag

food for another year

The contents

of your rubbish bin

will last us a month

You don’t have to

but we are begging you to.

The vultures are circling

angling for my

emaciated child

We won’t last another week

unless you sell one wheel

of your Hummer

and feed us for two years:

You don’t have to

but you can;

sell one of your yachts

and feed us for five years

We are not your responsibility

we know

But you can

stop the vultures circling

by not buying the

thousand dollar shoe

or going on that expensive holiday.

We don’t mean to impose

but you can stop

the circling vultures.