Tween girl

I've been wanting to write about this fascinating stage of childhood which we have come to call 'tweenage', 8-13 or 14, and when I started it came out like a poem. So I went with it. 

Tween girls

On the brink of they don't know what

Not little kids anymore, they think

Posing in front of mirrors (or any reflective surfaces)

Examining faces, imaginary blemishes

Hand on hip, pelvis tilted, looking back over shoulder at reflections

Shy smile, bold smile, batting lashes

Minx coquette and yet

Innocent. 

They can't know what lies ahead. 

And then giggles and tickles and being mean to little sisters

then being helpful 

To mum and then hating her and then wanting her stuff and her approval;

And then

Attitude. 

Clear skinned and coltish and pouty and laughing and cartwheeling and twirling

unselfconscious and self-conscious in turns

Sitting hugging knees, or with legs flung out, unashamed and then embarrassed

Flick hair up flick hair down 

Side pony tail then not, then braids then not, hair never long enough

Bikes and skates and scooters and longing for makeup

Hate boys like boys hate boys 

Dirty boys stupid boys 

Boys

Too old for play dates, too young to hang out at the mall Hanging on to older girls, sitting at their feet, worshipping and listening and learning

They don't know what

They are

Between

Tween