It’s sullen and stubborn
and oh-so sarcastic —
silly and sassy
and sometimes just…spastic.

Storming and swearing,
occasionally savage,
snippy and sourpussed
(daily, on average).

Short-tempered, sharp-tongued,
and slanderous (maybe);
skeptical, sulky
and self-absorbed, baby!

Slovenly, sensitive,
slothful and surly;
sophomoric, sure –
and still-little-girl-y.

Above all: surprising —
those times when you meet…
and you have to admit that
sixteen can be sweet.

.

©2013 Carlotta Eike Stankiewicz