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Magpie Murder

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Six magpies brought their mourning squawk, soon joined by several others, disturbing all their neighbour's talk and waking sleepy lovers. Some hopped and did their swaggered strut between a felted flat roof top and a guttered water but. Some preferred a higher perch and troubled nearby taller tops of green leylandii. All the while their squawk increased and shattered suburb's morning peace. Two black crows flew overhead and settled, one on gable top, the other found his place to stop and watch from nearby psychamore. Upright, silent, silhouettes, not bearers of the magpie pall but undertaking nonetheless to show crow's dignified respects. They joined this congregation to recognise corvid's connect. They joined this chorused agitation while magpies mourned their murdered son, crumpled feathers low on grassy ground, til course of squawk and strut had run, and one by one they flew, without a sound, and all was done, and all was done.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2020




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Date: 6/10/2020 7:39:00 AM
the title pulled me in and you told a fabulous story in vivid detail guess its natures way but its hard to see - love the collective noun from crows being a murder it is very apt!:-) hugs jan xx
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Bob Kimmerling
Date: 6/10/2020 9:26:00 AM
Hi Jan this happened yesterday morning and for those in earshot like me drew much attention. I researched it and figured that the poem was what I had witnessed, including the two crows who very deliberately seemed to come and pay respects...extraordinary! Bless you

Book: Shattered Sighs