Big Bird, peers called me
or Grasshopper – legs longer
than torso, exaggerated
by the platform shoes
of the time.
Jumbo Jet, another moniker
or No Hips, No Ass –
or simply Tree –
my height towering
for my age.
Awkward an understatement –
self-conscious, exposed,
the ridicule outweighing
any nurturing support –
self-declared freak.
(For BrewNSpew’s weekly challenge: awkward)
One Woman's Quest 
Watch out for speeding cars big bird.They might not see your thin body.
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Lol. Always a worry….not.
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Adolescence is hard on everyone–we all have our vulnerable places. The name calling that you capture so well is particularly hurtful.
I have never stopped feeling awkward, but I think you learn to live with it and take it less to heart when you get older. (K)
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Yes. Now in my 60’s, I can honestly say I don’t give it a second thought. One of the blessings of aging, lol.
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Your poem reminds me once again of the need to stop our children from being cruel to others. My heart breaks for the girl in that poem and all of us girls who were ridiculed for our physical appearance.
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Thanks Liz. Sadden even was that since I matured early, the abuse from males was far worse than my classmates.
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That shouldn’t be allowed to go on. It makes my blood boil every time I think about it.
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Me too!
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Your writing always leaves me smiling! Love how you captured the writing prompt VJ. So creative ☀️
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Thank you, Andrea. High praise.
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I love your take on the prompt! That poor bird but then it doesn’t know it’s built funky! Thank you for participating in my weekly prompt!
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Thank you. When I saw the word, I immediately remembered how my mother always said I was easy to spot on the school ground because I was so awkward.
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Yes, my mother used to tell me – you’re just going through an awkward stage, this too shall pass. My mother was very optimistic on the outside.
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Lol. I’m sure we all grew out of the awkward years, although I’m not sure my self-image ever did.
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Yes, understood.
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Great use of the prompt! I too went through a lot of that and I am a self-declared freak except I have finally accepted I am unique and different and now have peace with it. You too are beautifully unique and different! 😀 ❤
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Different, for sure, lol. Thanks. I suspect we all had an awkward period adjusting to our physical selves.
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Oh my … an egret’s grace-in-the-making misunderstood!
Fairly average all my life, I yearned (intensely) to be petite from adolescence through college years … I wanted to be “less”, inconspicuous, so people would look past me, leave me alone. Pretty frustrating stuck in our own bodies, huh? Now I’m content to just BE among the many shapes/sizes. I’d love to achieve egret grace, but my old legs just won’t DO those maneuvers … no amount of yoga changes that.
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I longed to be “petite” too, but was born a size 12, lol. Found out yesterday that I have shrunk 2″, so much less visible now. We humans are funny birds.
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