Sixteen

>> 5.27.2010

Sixteen, sweet sixteen
by then she’d learned more than she ever wanted to know
more than any child-woman should

of words hard as fists leaving blotches
where only the heart can see

of eyes blinded by compromise, overlooking
bruises polka-dotting flesh

of male bonding rituals, fathers and sons ogling
budding breasts

of painted appearance being more important
that substance and knowledge

of gropes and grabs, hands slid under skirts,
of lost dreams and broken hearts,
of self-worth residing
in peer acceptance that never came

and little red pills that ease the pain
and fog the mind,

the knowledge that she can never escape
her own eyes looking back
from the mirror hanging on the wall
while she still exists,

and the realization that self-respect
predicates all respect
and nothing, and no one
is more important than that;

and while she breathes, life goes on
another day, another year - -
now sixteen is just a lingering nightmare.

8 comments:

Singer 5/28/10, 11:51 AM  

so glad sixteen is so long ago - so many parts of this spoke to me - nice writing!

Nithin RS 5/31/10, 11:16 AM  

your poetry gave an insight into a teenage girl's thoughts.

Syeda Zehra 6/5/10, 2:38 AM  

after changing the SHe prefixes with HE,I really loved this one.

Angela 6/15/10, 1:22 PM  

Heart Breaking.

June_Butterfly 6/16/10, 11:15 AM  

It pierced thru the heart.

I can feel the pain and the hurt.And made me thankful that her sweet sixteen was now left behind.

nothingprofound 6/19/10, 4:07 PM  

Sad so many young women have terrible memories like this to bear. Wish it were not the case.

Komal Ali 6/25/10, 12:31 PM  

Depressing...but, thoughtful.

Carrie Van Horn 7/10/10, 11:30 AM  

It is sad, but it so many times true. You captured the reality of it in your poem. I am new to your blog...it is awesome and love your writing. You are a "wordsmith"!
:-)

About This Blog

The name for this blog was inspired by a quote by Nietzsche, below.

"Dancing in all its forms cannot be excluded from the curriculum of all noble education; dancing with the feet, with ideas, with words, and, need I add that one must also be able to dance with the pen?" ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

I plan on this being the start of an incredible journey of discovery and creativity. I invite you to bring your pen, and come dance with me!

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