Childhoods End? Lyrics

Lyric discussion by RadolphB 

Cover art for Childhoods End? lyrics by Marillion

The Magpie denotes happiness. The lyric refers to an old UK poem called "A poem for counting Magpies". "One is for laughter, to is for joy, Three is for girls, four is for boys". It means, in this song, that the author has gone through all manner of pain and hell, he sees happiness coming into his life.