Forced cackles prey
on such moveable feasts,
pluck chicklets from
moorhen mothers and
fly up, hidden in the trees.
On land again these
aerial hyaenas hop-step,
a sneaky check over wing,
and peck more precious hatchlings.
Magpie stripes strike doom,
steal lightning from the sky,
stop the hearts of robins
and fly away with
life captive in their beaks.

Sonja Broderick

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/magpies/