Year Ends – 1st July 2026

The school year ends

as the summer begins

and I am

once again

out with my friends

playing kerby in the road

and deadheading roses

without being asked

or paid

It is a service I provide

whether my neighbours want it

or not

It has been a long time since I threw a ball at the kerb and tried to catch it. I believe I still have the talent and should have turned professional. But there was no league and no pay. The world missed out.

What did you do to a world class level when you were a child? Those delusions were magical.

© John Monaghan 2026. All Rights Reserved