that magpie
has been
sitting on that bough 
for half an hour
black and white 
against the crying sky 
it chortles and carols
from time to time
i watch and listen
biding my moment
despite the march of time
i look up and down
magpie looks left and right
we witness the crying sky
present and separate 
each in place
some kind of joy
and the sky cries on