Pie

Gold cherry

By onemorething

Sat, 20 Jan 2024
  • 3355 reads
22 comments
 

Magpies were originally called pies, the mag was added because of the sound they make. Some also thought they had fairies in their hearts and that witches sometimes rode them. Magpies have been seen gathering around a dead bird seemingly engaging in 'funeral' type behaviour though, of course, this is disputed as anthropomorphism by some, but I'd like to believe that they do, clever birds. Painting is by Tunnicliffe and is in the public domain:

 

 

Pie gazed into an eye,

hollowed of life, now just feather

and bone, he'd had an uncle

who'd lost a gawker to a buzzard

and fashioned another from a toy marble,

too big for its socket,

he became a renowned oracle.

 

But here, Pie saw only his own reflection

peering back, black as godheart,

black as wretchart. For his mag,

a ride for many a witch, he summoned

in ratchet-ratchet a host of witnesses

to his lament and sorrow gathered

about him, funereal, in discord.

 

Pie stood before the catafalque 

to whistlehiss and scratchscreech 

an absolution, his bloodtongue committal 

of the fallen. How she had charmed the moon -

a cloud-bellied necromancer,

the skies she had mapped: we,

who are given wings and an emerald tail

over our blue dominion.

 

Pie reeled a little; for death is death

is death, and as common as life,

something both known and unknown.

Her fairyheart departed, the great fire 

slipped beyond the iron hills, left 

night to glitter its coldstars above him,

the babel mollified and the palaver drifted 

into the darkness, and Pie, 

though love was graven to every memory,

never spoke again.

Certificate PG
Poem
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by lenchenelf on

...to your poem, and the haunting pie-feathered clever wings.

Best as ever

L

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks very much, lenchenelf. xx

 

Submitted by marandina on

".. a cloud-bellied necromancer..."

 

Such wonderful use of language in evoking a unique atmosphere to celebrate a "pie". Gorgeous. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you Paul! x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I never heard that about magpies holding funerals before - how interesting! The house I lived n before this one was on the edge of woodland and there were so many magpies - beautiful and clever birds, though I never could feel quite the same way about them after I saw them murder a blackbird (they dive bombed him in a group - it was so shocking!) Thank you for this beautiful poem onemore - very well deserved cherries

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Yes, they've been seen to call magpies in their local group who come and nudge and call around the body, filmed on one occasion moving the body to a more concealed area. Yes, they are clever, but can have that corvid dark side too. Mind you, if it helps, I did read that they are usually beneficial to songbird populations as they keep hawks away. I'm glad you enjoyed my poem too, insert.

 

Submitted by Kris on

enjoy reading your works, as always, as thoughts drift in the back ground...

'how does she do that'? its like taking words and brushing them, impressionism in a couple of strokes, capturing & leaving a trail of image(s).....  but then again... I'm here to learn & be inspired... an inspired i am.... thank you....

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah, Kris, thanks so much, happy you liked this one. 

 

Submitted by celticman on

death is indeed death, yet your words rise above. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks CM! :)

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I read once that the magpie's name was an abbreviation of 'maggot pie' but your explanation makes more sense.

Your words of mystery describe the charachteristics of this creature of mystery beautifully. 

Turlough

Submitted by onemorething on

I think there are some connections...perhaps to Shakespeare? Will have a look. Thank you for reading it, Turlough and glad you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

What a powerful evocation of the Magpie; and I thought your choice of words enhanced the Magpie characteristics. And these are remarkable birds that we see often about our village - not quite safe and with a mischievous air about them. 

Dougie Moody

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks, Dougie. Happy you liked it. And they are certainly mischievous! 

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

Powerful poetry, weaving shadows, not quite sure what makes this bird so mysterious. I don't think I've ever seen a magpie, had to google it and found a video about magpie's befriending a lady who now cares for them. The birds were very entertaining but I have to admit, their long sharp beaks did put me off of thinking them cuddly.smiley

Penny4athought

Submitted by onemorething on

I think all corvids have a mysterious air about them, don't they. Thanks for reading it and glad you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

They seem to me he most likely kind of bird for magicians to ride in, if they were to choose one to be, so was interested about that fairy bit. I loved

" we,

who are given wings and an emerald tail

over our blue dominion."

which conjures up their majesty and beauty at once. Like Insert I have seen them do horrid things, but the ones that visit my garden here make me laugh

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Glad you liked it, Di. And yes, no corvid is ever entirely innocent.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Facebook and X/Twitter Pick of the Day!

Please share on your social media if you enjoyed it as much as I did

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Oh thank you very much! That's a lovely end to my Monday! x

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

There is lots of magic in these lines, it's sort of sad too. I can't bear a dead bird. Those pies are a community, a dynasty. I see them in a different light now with fairies in their hearts. How beautiful.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Oooo, I like the idea of a dynasty! Thanks for reading my fairy-hearted pie poem!