For those who are interested, compliments of 'Birds of Paradox' (1967),
edited by Jack Pollard:
"The Magpies, by Denis Glover.
When Tom and Elizabeth took the farm
The bracken made their bed,
And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The Magpies said.
Tom's hand was strong to the plough
Elizabeth's lips were red,
And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The Magpies said.
Year in and year out they worked
While the pines grew overhead,
And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The Magpies said.
Elizabeth is dead now (it's years ago);
Old Tom went light in the head;
And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The Magpies said.
The farm's still there. Mortgage corporations
Couldn't give it away.
And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The Magpies said."
_________
Bob James
Sunshine Coast
__________________
Philip Battley wrote:
> As used in the NZ field guides, the poem mentioned by Kim Sterelny is
> by Denis Glover, and captured the magpie's song as
>
> "Quardle oodle aardle wardle doodle" (if my memory serves me right).
>
> Can anyone better this?
>
> Phil.
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