Ivan Head: ‘Christening Parties hit $50,000’ and ‘Minerva’s Owl’

Christening Parties hit $50,000

Old Baptism was as much an exorcism,
which seems a little odd
since the Catechism decreed
that baby’s soul comes not from Mum and Dad
but directly from the hand of God.

Casting out the devil is now a blot
on the Christening Stylist’s theme:
the spectacular tiny frock,
five-star venue, silver memento,
the mega-feast and the lavish $50,000 lot.

In my own case I’m just thankful
too many genes did not mal-align,
that some good has been expressed
in what was assigned on the chocolate wheel of life.
To think otherwise seems to be malign.

Ivan Head

Minerva’s Owl

I hope that the owls return this summer.
Last year, five or six came each dusk
and stayed in the treed yard;
Mostly in the elm or silver birch.

I heard no hooting or twit-twooing
but the static of radio or sonar pings;
interspecies chattering about mysterious things
and an alert about the man imitating their songs.

I stared at their feather-markings
and inferred Boobookishness.
They came every evening for a month
and then no more.

I hope they met no ill-fate nor died by malice.
Minerva’s owl flew only at dusk
to bring clarity at end of day
or end of the age.

Wisdom still comes after the event.
We do not know where the past went.
Time’s ratchet locks us out.
I find myself waiting for the owls again.

Ivan Head