Magpie takes a dip

On a cold winter morning
the magpie bathes
in the garden bird bath

Three times I saw it
jump into the icy water
and flutter its wings
so as to wet itself
all over

and each time it jumped out
and sat shivering on the wall
fluttering it wings
in order to shake off the excess
before repeating the exercise

a plump black and white magpie
time carelessly beating in its breast
and who knows what
running through its mind
full of the joys of life

John Lyons