I once heard someone say that a single magpie shouldn't be considered a sorrow, but half a joy. I loved the thought. Perhaps the second magpie is there all along, just somewhere out of sight.
It seemed only fair to let the magpie have its say.
Half a Joy
One for sorrow? Surely not,
For one is half of two,
When one is seen you can be sure
The other will be too.
You may not see it right away,
That second one, it’s coy,
So seeing one is sorrow not,
It’s really half a joy!
L.C. Fox-Smith