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I am new to poetry, not even sure I'm writing it. - Caren Krutsinger's Blog

About Caren Krutsinger

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My name is Caren; I was born an identical twin in a small rural town in Iowa; I live in the country; roosters wake me up. They are not my own roosters, but live behind me, and are eager to be helpful. I am an artist, a cartoonist, a painter, a poet, a writer, and a game-player. When I was younger I knew all kinds of card games. When my children were small, I played many board games. They stopped playing with me when they realized if I was losing, I would diminish my age, turn younger than them, and throw the board. I was once addicted to resale, and yard sale shopping. Every time I think I have broken myself of that habit, I have a relapse and drag home bags and boxes of other people's junk that I think I will someday use. More often than not, these found items end up recycled in other junk shops or recycle bins after I did not use them at all. I'm an elementary school counselor, which means I teach children about respect, responsibility, and how to love each other and make friends. I love my life; I have been with the same man for 50 years, and our home is saturated with my paintings of booby women, because I love to draw and paint them and my husband loves me. I have three daughters, two sons-in-law, six granddaughters, and four grandsons, so my cup is full and happy.

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I am new to poetry, not even sure I'm writing it.

Blog Posted:3/25/2018 7:53:00 AM

I love Poetry Soup because sometimes I'm not sure if I'm writing narrative poetry or a story, and I have had so many wonderful comments from poets for whom I have begun to feel a kinmanship and developed keen feelings of appreciation and love. This has opened up a whole new world for me and allowed me to take risks I normally would not take. Sometimes my brain asks my heart, "You are not really going to add that little zinger are you?" But heart thinks about Line, or CayCay or Nina or Aurturo, or so many others who have been so encouraging and friendly, and heart confidently presses send, believing that even if I make a mistake, the wonderful Poets on this site, will have my back. I misspelled a word in the title once, and Line sent me a private soup mail, saying, "I have your back," and this feels terrific! Thank you Poetry Soup family for helping me develop my poetry, and take risks, while developing neonate wings to fly around this site, and begin a whole new dimension of my life. I had almost entirely forgotten how much I used to love to write 40 years ago, before I got busy with life. This site is better than a penpal in Sweden when I was 12, because the conversation does not rely on snail mail and take two weeks to three months to make a communication exchange. And I had really looked forward to those letters! I think the more we can do to build up the world, rather than only our own country, the less likely misunderstandings will happen, and we will instinctively be kinder to our fellow man. There is afterall one master race - the HUMAN race.

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Daniel
Turner

Date: 3/26/2018 6:55:00 PM

Hello Caren, nice to meet you. I have read some of your poems and I think they are great fun. If you say it's a poem, then it's a poem! Like you, I fell in the soup and have learned more in the last two years than I did the previous , well just say a long time. There are so many wonderfully talented people over here and I have never been refused help from any of them. Poetry is supposed to be fun. When it loses that fun, it can become a nightmare. Just write whats in your heart. Welcome and spill ink!

Constance
La France

Date: 3/26/2018 9:34:00 AM

Caren, welcome to Poetry Soup and your blog pretty much explains why this site is so wonderful. You are now part of a family of poets. And this girl will always have your back. Critical remarks of your writing can be the helpful hand of another poet or the meanness of a self appointed judge of all poetry always seek another opinion before changing or hitting delete..

Jan
Allison

Date: 3/26/2018 4:07:00 AM

What a lovely positive blog Caren. I've been reading your work and love your humour. There are many people willing to help us grow as poets, I have learned so so much since i first picked up my pen in Nov 2013 and joined soup in 2014. I see my poems as my babies and i can only echo what 'shadow of the past has said' just be wary of critique from those who think they know better than others ... I've seen people leave because their work and self confidence has been torn apart. :-) hugs jan xx

Line
Gauthier

Date: 3/25/2018 7:11:00 PM

Dear Caren, I think there are many of us who believe that the minute someone writes from the heart that is POETRY. By the way you mean "Arturo" LOL, don't worry about it - I have your back ;-) On the other hand, your presence on PoetrySoup has been over-the-top cheerful and most lovely. Welcome with open arms, dear Caren.

Fj
Thomas

Date: 3/25/2018 5:30:00 PM

Lol but the "zingers" keep the site interesting Caren! You just keep writing to your heart's content sweet Lady! And just remember that not all criticism is "constructive." Keep your mind open and try to be objective but don't let some of the self-proclaimed professionals here neither diminish your work nor wear you down.

Jan Allison
Date: 3/26/2018 4:08:00 AM

Can't agree with you more Shadow!:-) hugs jan xx

Tom
Cunningham

Date: 3/25/2018 2:58:00 PM

Lovely blog Caren, like you have found people on here a great family group. ( only joined last November) I too made a silly mistake and got a soupmail telling me, I was very grateful for that and learned from it to check check and double check before posting. Keep writing. Tom

Jan
Terry

Date: 3/25/2018 12:30:00 PM

Hello, Caren. Yes, Poetry Soup has a number of nurturing poets who will help you develop your poetry with encouragement and gentle direction. I sometimes wonder how they can be supporting so many new poets at once. They are wise in the ways of poetry and have enough heart to share. I know their comments have motivated me over the years to stick with it. We all want our poetry to be read and enjoyed by someone; If that someone is another poet all the better. Your poetry can be a mirror of your thoughts and the more you write, the better you will get at expressing them to the delight of others. Hugs. Janece

Carrie
Richards

Date: 3/25/2018 10:43:00 AM

Hi Caren! Thanks to your blog, I have just read the last few poems on your list of poetry, and I love the candid expression of words, and how your thoughts are put to pen, some with humor, honesty, and realism that anyone can relate to. They may not be considered strict to form (those labeled haiku, for instance), which seem to be more narrative in nature. If form doesn't matter (let's say for a contest..)..then they are wonderful, relatable. and enjoyable to read. Poetry for me is anything that makes me smile, cry, feel emotion. You have all of those nailed ! Welcome to PS !!:)

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 3/25/2018 9:44:00 AM

This is a lovely blog. I'll have to check out your poetry if I have not seen it yet. You mentioned three or four poets who are such dear people to the others here! Keep listening to them. They are awesome! By the way. I too am from Iowa! Have you heard of Muscatine?

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 3/25/2018 10:10:00 AM

I have posted a short story on this blog called Muscatine, Iowa. One of my favorite towns in the whole wide world, Andrea.

Maureen
Mcgreavy

Date: 3/25/2018 9:31:00 AM

You are awesome :)

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 3/25/2018 10:11:00 AM

Thank you, Maureen, as are you, my friend!

My Past Blog Posts


I Need Four More Entries to judge Halloween Monorhyme Contest Date Posted: 11/1/2021 11:18:00 AM
Why is Submission of New Poetry Forms on Hold? Date Posted: 8/14/2021 3:09:00 AM
Quatrain Contest - Please look your entry over. Date Posted: 8/12/2021 12:15:00 PM
Abecedarian Contest Needs One More Entry Date Posted: 2/24/2020 12:20:00 PM
Does Anyone Know how to FIX CATEGORIES? Date Posted: 1/20/2020 10:21:00 AM
45 Words or Less means 45 Words or Less Date Posted: 10/6/2019 4:18:00 AM
If You Have a Mind to Read a Short Story Date Posted: 8/30/2019 7:00:00 AM
Does Anyone Read the Short Stories Date Posted: 5/22/2019 4:25:00 PM
Summer Quatrain Poetry Contest Date Posted: 5/19/2019 7:14:00 AM
Charlie's Cartoon Contest Has Been Updated and changed up a bit. Date Posted: 11/17/2018 12:32:00 PM
I have published my first article on Soup! Date Posted: 10/21/2018 7:00:00 PM
Thank you for your love and support. Date Posted: 10/5/2018 6:09:00 AM
Take Me To Your Leader still needs 5 poems. HELP! Date Posted: 8/21/2018 7:29:00 AM
Six months now of pure happy. Date Posted: 8/13/2018 7:27:00 AM
Thank you for your support. Date Posted: 7/24/2018 9:02:00 AM
Take Care of Yourself First only has 17 poems entered. I would like to see 18 more. Date Posted: 7/23/2018 2:33:00 PM
New contest: An Inner Knowing, An Absolute Feeling, My Mystical Soul Self Date Posted: 6/9/2018 12:34:00 AM
Dragons, Dragonflies and Hufflewinks Date Posted: 6/4/2018 8:36:00 AM
Dragons, Dragonflies and Hufflewinks Contest Date Posted: 5/20/2018 9:46:00 PM
Dragons, Dragonflies and Huffle Winks Contest Date Posted: 5/14/2018 8:18:00 PM
Trying to Learn all of the Poetry Forms in the Next Two Years Date Posted: 5/8/2018 11:33:00 AM
Hillbillies, Bybillies and Blowbillies Date Posted: 5/7/2018 12:09:00 AM
Fear Killed My Paternal Grandmother on Good Friday, 1951. Date Posted: 3/31/2018 4:00:00 AM
This site is so crazy positive; I am in awe! Date Posted: 3/28/2018 2:00:00 AM
I am new to poetry, not even sure I'm writing it. Date Posted: 3/25/2018 7:53:00 AM

My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
5/9/2024	we never throw anything away	Free verse	nostalgia,
5/9/2024	I Was Never Going to Retire	Free verse	retirement,
5/9/2024	pudding	Rictameter	food,
5/9/2024	cancer is a killer	Tanka	sick,
5/9/2024	salt	Nonet	food,
5/9/2024	broth	Nonet	food,
5/9/2024	hope	Nonet	hope,
5/9/2024	silk	Ninette	me,
5/9/2024	listening to the beach boys	Tanka	music,
5/9/2024	Joyful Nurturing Sun	Diminished Hexaverse	sun,
5/8/2024	what is the little calf studying	Rhyme	animal,
5/8/2024	hillbillies dairy cow	Rhyme	animal,
5/8/2024	Pudgy Wudgie Cudgy Smudgie Little Pig	Rhyme	animal,
5/8/2024	gloomy old witch	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/8/2024	Mt Rushmore from the Back	Rhyme	usa,
5/8/2024	sleepy baby bird	Tanka	bird,
5/8/2024	driving to 70s Music	Tanka	nostalgia,
5/8/2024	old time religion	Tanka	christian,music,
5/8/2024	fragrance of a skunk	Tanka	animal,
5/8/2024	sweet strawberry jam	Rictameter	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/7/2024	a bellow beyond the pond	Tanka	animal,
5/7/2024	the top prize	Tanka	friendship,
5/7/2024	sad and lonely	Rictameter	5th grade,6th grade,7th g
5/7/2024	thank god for George Washington Carver	Rictameter	food,
5/7/2024	simple easy love	Ninette	love,
5/7/2024	whimsical water bug	Ninette	2nd grade,3rd grade,4th g
5/7/2024	late to an interview	Nonet	work,
5/7/2024	ice age in the midwest	Nonet	winter,
5/7/2024	my love for trees	Diminished Hexaverse	tree,
5/7/2024	blue jeans	Diminished Hexaverse	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/5/2024	that will teach me	Narrative	humor,
5/5/2024	Tale Best Told to Family	Prose Poetry	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/5/2024	The Gift of Life	Free verse	bird,
5/5/2024	Time Vanishes	Free verse	time,
5/5/2024	Beach Feels Honored	Free verse	beach,
5/5/2024	a face walk	Free verse	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/5/2024	delicate demure dainty dandelion	Free verse	flower,
5/5/2024	how France treated me	Free verse	french,
5/5/2024	Is her self confidence catching	Free verse	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/5/2024	Santa was Unconcerned	Rhyme	christmas,
5/4/2024	what if I do not see the portal	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	caught myself a spaceman	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	portal to the land of fey	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	he has got a rutabaga butt	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	daddy potato head was using his hoe	Couplet	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	cabbage woman	Rhyme	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/4/2024	tabby in winter	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/4/2024	want to taste a meely worm	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/4/2024	we do not all want to see that	Rhyme	10th grade,4th grade,5th
5/4/2024	two peas in a pod	Couplet	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/3/2024	Do Not Waste Your Time with that Antiquated Tunnel	Prose Poetry	spiritual,
5/3/2024	Spring Invites me to Play	Free verse	flower,
5/3/2024	Playing Max the Ax Video Game	Narrative	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/3/2024	Dragon Becomes a Writer and Illustrator	Rhyme	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/3/2024	Wish She Would Show Me Some Leg	Rhyme	humorous,
5/3/2024	Pink House Boat	Rhyme	boat,
5/3/2024	Kitty Cat Cake is Too Pretty to Eat	Rhyme	food,
5/3/2024	Remembering Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm	Free verse	nostalgia,
5/3/2024	sunflower farm	Free verse	flower,
5/3/2024	Dottie Waits for her Opportunity	Prose Poetry	death,
5/2/2024	A Sad Time and an Awful War	Prose Poetry	war,
5/2/2024	Who Am I?	Free verse	fish,
5/2/2024	Mr Creepster is Ready for Bed	Rhyme	animal,
5/2/2024	bull and Mr Salve	Rhyme	animal,
5/2/2024	giant lobster capsizes boat	Rhyme	animal,
5/2/2024	If you decide to get a cobra	Rhyme	animal,
5/2/2024	Sniffing the red Roses	Rhyme	animal,
5/2/2024	dragon from the emerald isle	Rhyme	fantasy,
5/2/2024	Mr Cys Taco Pie	Rhyme	food,
5/2/2024	puffed pastry is his favorite meal	Free verse	animal,
5/1/2024	welcome to the Flamenco	Free verse	dance,
5/1/2024	in case	Free verse	beach,
5/1/2024	Chicago Skyline will Disappear Tonight	Rhyme	travel,
5/1/2024	steampunk santa	Rhyme	christmas,
5/1/2024	It makes William more Desirable	Free verse	soldier,
5/1/2024	beautiful bells	Rhyme	christmas,
5/1/2024	hunched over harry	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/1/2024	ask them they are here	Rhyme	animal,
5/1/2024	romantic bird magic	Monorhyme	bird,
5/1/2024	roots do a water ballet	Free verse	nature,
4/29/2024	paradise cove	Free verse	travel,
4/29/2024	storm gathers her minions	Free verse	storm,
4/29/2024	Chitter Chatter	Narrative	school,student,teacher,
4/29/2024	Shrunken Heads are Not Happy	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/29/2024	Shellys World	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/29/2024	Tired of Marthas Snoopy Way	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
4/29/2024	Bubble Bong Betty	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/29/2024	Bubbles from the Moon	Monorhyme	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
4/29/2024	Admiring Pinocchio Dragman	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/29/2024	Chandelier Princess	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
4/28/2024	answering your poem famous	Free verse	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
4/28/2024	Once Upon a Christmas Donkey	Free verse	christmas,jesus,
4/28/2024	Looking for Life on Planet Z783	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/28/2024	grandpas new toy	Rhyme	nostalgia,
4/28/2024	sixties cats	Rhyme	cat,
4/28/2024	spaceboy tries strawberry margarita	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
4/28/2024	Annual Fluffy Kitty Christmas Dance	Rhyme	cat,christmas,
4/28/2024	spun carnival glass	Free verse	fairy,
4/28/2024	colors of france	Free verse	french,
4/28/2024	like chip and dales sixties cartoons	Free verse	ocean,

My Photos

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
The Night Sky	Haiku	nature,night,sky,stars,
Ballroom Lust	Free verse	desire,fantasy,lust,sexy,
Foresight and Intuition	Free verse	flying,imagery,light,love
Beckoning Beyond	Senryu	dance,dark,fantasy,imager
Goodbye	Narrative	death,
Lights Out	Verse	scary,
Don'T Go Stale	Free verse	inspiration,motivation,
Homes	Haiku	beauty,
Snuffle	Rhyme	animal,earth,farm,food,ha
The Butterfly	Couplet	butterfly,
What If	I do not know?	10th grade,art,autumn,bea
The Vacuum Cleaner Bong	Limerick	character,crazy,creation,
The Times They Aren'T A-Changin'	Rhyme	society,technology,today,
Sex Change	Limerick	body,humorous,me,
One Gray Hair	Rhyme	feelings,grandmother,grie
Aura	Free verse	beauty,husband,wife,
Love Is Not a Sound	Free verse	love,
Old Tom	Lyric	absence,age,death,goodbye
Resuscitated Memories	Free verse	memory,october,rain,roman
Let Us Back Into Your Heart	Free verse	addiction,depression,hope
Moon Song	Blank verse	friendship love,
The Great Glowing God	Rhyme	men,
Gyspy Soul	Free verse	faith,feelings,imagery,in
The Consolation of Danger	Free verse	adventure,emotions,fear,j
A Silent Song	Romanticism	imagery,romance,romantic,
Sins In the Sand	Rhyme	bible,uplifting,
My Nineteen-Seventies	Bio	emotions,growing up,music
Noah's Apprentice On the Ark	Monorhyme	animal,bird,caregiving,da
Sister	Alliteration	allusion,analogy,
Little Toy Soldiers	Rhyme	boy,goodbye,peace,soldier
What We Had Was Real	Rhyme	lost love,sad,
With a Pen	Lyric	emotions,poetry,
Spinning Top - Winged Vehicle	Light Verse	anger,flying,magic,moving
Shades of Love	Rhyme	dream,emotions,love,roman
Dream Series: My Vegetable Garden	Prose Poetry	animal,dog,dream,food,gar
Eye of Egypt	Free verse	faith,imagery,inspiration
I Dont Watch Lions	Rhyme	adventure,africa,animal,e
Dragonfly	Quintain (English)	creation,
The One Sock Phase	Quatrain	character,confusion,humor
Ain'T He Plump (To Tune of Ain'T She Sweet)	Light Verse	parodydance,dance,
What Is That Blinking	Free verse	appreciation,environment,
Angels Meeting With God	Free verse	bereavement,
Break Up	Tanka	10th grade,boyfriend,brea
The Wet Garden	Prose Poetry	fairy,flower,garden,magic
My Reflection	Couplet	mirror,nonsense,
Friendship of the Kindest Kind	Rhyme	family,friendship,holiday
Gypsy Rose	Crystalline	imagery,
You May Have Taken a Fall	Free verse	courage,encouraging,inspi
Black Widow	Free verse	betrayal,black love,death
A Case of the Blues	Limerick	humorous,satire,
The Light of a Child	Free verse	adventure,dedication,devo
The Lost Years	Free verse	family,father,growing up,
Made of Bubbly Stuff	Rhyme	appreciation,cheer up,enc
Lady On the Church Steps	Free verse	appreciation,christmas,de
Indie Anna Jones	Epic	cool,identity,romantic,wo
Pow	Senryu	adventure,celebrity,chara
Magick	Free verse	crush,love,
Haiku - Tears of Time	Haiku	flower,life,nature,rain,s
Elephant In the Room	Rhyme	angst,people,
The Class Clown	Rhyme	fun,funny,sad,school,
Everything Seems Different Today	Free verse	change,cheer up,confidenc
Soulmates	Free verse	appreciation,computer,int
Hopeless	Free verse	anger,
Humpy Dumpty Mystery	Rhyme	children,funny,humorous,m
Think I Need a Man In My Life	Rhyme	fun,funny,life,love,
Queen of Croissants	Free verse	abuse,anger,anxiety,betra
Free Mind	Free verse	visionary,
Mixed Nuts	Free verse	how i feel,humanity,peopl
A Life of Love and Light	Acrostic	hate,jealousy,life,love,t
Vietnam Reflections1	Free verse	war,
Nature the Artist	Rhyme	nature,
Unslept Night	Rhyme	sleep,
Friendship	Rhyme	friendship,
Last Lust Lorn Lament	Senryu	life,love,lust,
A Warm Dish	Epulaeryu	food,
I'M So Annoyed Just Looking At Her	Clerihew	humorous,
From the Womb	Diminished Hexaverse	appreciation,beautiful,ea
Die Another Day	Free verse	fantasy,fun,imagery,imagi
A Brief Message	Light Verse	funny,hello,
The Outsider	Free verse	bird,dark,death,hope,inse
Being Cool	Epigram	cool,
Amplified	Free verse	black african american,bl
- Runs In Powdered Snow -	Free verse	animal,beauty,celebration
Just Maintain That Course	Free verse	courage,encouraging,inspi
Sea Shell	Rhyme	imagination,nature,nonsen
She Loves Jewellery	Quatrain	beautiful,beauty,desire,h
How Big Is Yours	Personification	cute,fun,humor,pride,
Just Rewards	Rhyme	character,visionary,
Flash Memory Therapy	Free verse	appreciation,creation,ins
She Wolf	Personification	animal,howl,
Been Fishing	Epulaeryu	appreciation,drink,fish,f
Look Back	Free verse	black african american,em
Mama Bear	Rhyme	child,children,love,mothe
Free	Free verse	confidence,encouraging,fr
Arthur	Free verse	betrayal,death,love,sorro
Behind Closed Doors	Rhyme	abuse,betrayal,bullying,v
Heavenly	Haiku	christmas,heaven,holiday,
Elvin Dreams	Dodoitsu	dream,earth,fairy,miracle
Halloween Hesitation	Iambic Pentameter	halloween,
The Crafting of Clouds	Haiku	sky,