What Is a Teenage Girl

Sugar and spice and everything nice

That's what little girls are made of

After years of acceptance

That little phrase has been swept aside

For the modern version

Rhythm and blues and rubber soled shoes

That's what girls are made of

Responsible for this dramatic change

Is a fun loving, giggly, chattering

Unpredictable, unmanageable bundle

Of vitality known as a teenage girl

Years ago, one could tell

The girls from the boys

By the way they dressed

Now that girls have adopted boys haircuts

Shirts, blue jeans and jacket, it's not so easy

Until you watch them walk away from you

In an average day

A teenager frustrates her mother

Charms her father, irritates her kid brother

Puzzles her teacher

Befuddles her young boyfriend

And in the process

Thoroughly confuses herself

In spite of it all

She has a boundless enthusiasm

For nearly everything

Rock and roll music, disc jockeys

Elvis you know who, sleeping late, clothes

Gossip, increased allowances, chewing gum

With her mouth open, of course

Charm bracelets, baby sitting

And large football sweaters

Especially one with a star halfback in it

When she's not under you feet

She's on your mind

And when you need her, you can find her

Under pin curlers, in front of mirrors

Over homework, started at bedtime

Behind movie magazines

And between phone calls

A teenage girl loves to complain

She can't stand anything about her hair

Girls who flirt with her date, nosy parents

And boys who don't dance

Although she'll probably marry one

Who doesn't dance at all

A teenage girl's amazing energy

Comes from a steady, well rounded diet

Of pizza pie, cheeseburgers

Hot fudge sundaes, malted milks

French fries and sometimes, even fingernails

Today's teenage girl would rather

Learn pursuing than pursue learning

Nevertheless, she has a unique capacity

For applying things taught in school

Carrying out the fundamentals

Of lend lease, for example

She lends and leases combs, bobby pins

Autographs, shoes, bus fare

And even homework answers

She's unique in other ways too

Nobody, for instance can guard a secret

As loyally or spill it so easily

No one has gone steady quite so often

And suffers quite so much when in love

At home in the evening

A teenage girl relaxes by listening to

The latest and loudest rock and roll records

Her mother in the kitchen

Although busily preparing the evening meal

Feels a warm glow as she realizes that

Her teenage daughter is really enjoying

Life to it's fullest

Overcome by these sentimental thoughts

She wipes her hands, goes to the foot of the stairs

From where the music is coming

And in a sweet, motherly way, says