In The Summertime

Aim for two point seven five

June 20, 2025

In the early seventies,

I had a semi-Afro hairstyle

and a shaggy beard.

I thought I looked like

the lead singer of Mungo Jerry,

but aspired to be Che Guevara.

These days, the beard is trimmed

and a semi-Afro hairstyle

would look silly

with the Sahara desert

running from north to south.

At the unisex hairdresser,

a young lady with a lisp,

nose ring and jasmine fragrance

asks me if I want a number one.

I tell her to aim for

two point seven five.

She chuckles and says

I remind her of her grandfather.

Even though it’s summertime,

she’s never heard of Mungo Jerry

and she thinks Che Guevara

is a Spanish chipolata.

Encore this post!

💬 Respond

Michael James Treacy

A retired septuagenarian, Michael James Treacy lives in idyllic bliss with Mrs Treaclechops and spends his time in literary, artistic and horticultural endeavours. He has a wonky leg, a dicky ticker and a dizzy head. A working life spanning 50 years included such disciplines as soldier, sales engineer, design engineer, estimator, buyer, quality manager and project manager. He was glad of a good sit-down at the end of it all. He’s had poems and short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, and has been working on his debut sci-fi novel for about 10 years, and hopes to finish it before his 100th birthday.

My Books

Ripening Cherries

An anthology of Japanese-style poetry

For Rhino in a Shrinking World

A Poetry Anthology

Soul Feathers

A poetry anthology to aid the work of Macmillan Cancer Support