One magpie comes to the fence and he asks. I watch him and chitter to him, and he asks. I watch him and I chitter-chat to him, and he asks.

I laugh to myself without any sound, and stand.

‘Oh no,’ he thinks and flies. He has heard me laugh and stand.

‘Tricky thing,’ I think and say in my head, ‘You have been seen. I pinpoint him and know I have done this before. This is and will be new.’

I send an old memory, by listening to it myself and all of a sudden there they are.

‘That sounds like my mum and dad,’ says the middle bird. ‘I know that sound. Listen!’

‘Are they not new then,’ says the first bird. He is very young.

‘Are you sure,’ says the third bird.

‘I know what I’m talking about,’ replies the middle bird. ‘That’s why I’m here. We need to start singing now. It is time to start singing.’

And, off they go to the trees and wait until I am listening. In the distance, I can hear them.

They have begun to sing.