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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
6/8/2024	My Photaxis Response	Rhyme	animal,
6/8/2024	Damselfly and Her Big Eye	Rhyme	animal,
6/8/2024	Why does Dragonfly Dip her Tail in the Water	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/8/2024	why do some scarab beetles have horns	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
6/8/2024	Is This Ample Enough	Blank verse	family,
6/8/2024	flower fly	Rhyme	animal,
6/8/2024	Lou Ordered the Yucky Crab Dish	Rhyme	fish,food,
6/7/2024	tulips greet their queen	Monorhyme	fantasy,
6/7/2024	Shaking My Thing Proud and Loud	Rhyme	music,
6/7/2024	Do What you Do to Be You	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/7/2024	Always be the real you	Rhyme	4th grade,5th grade,woman
6/7/2024	Hiding from the Deer with Fred	Rhyme	animal,
6/7/2024	Upsy Downsy Gemini Queen	Rhyme	4th grade,5th grade,8th g
6/7/2024	Please Let Me Be Me	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/7/2024	a true scallywag	Rhyme	women,
6/7/2024	Pouting Downer Frowner	Rhyme	humorous,
6/7/2024	Befriend Everyone	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/5/2024	forgot I was likeable	Free verse	work,
6/5/2024	marriage might have a chance	Senryu	sweet,
6/5/2024	disappointment and heart ache	Haiku	depression,
6/5/2024	I am a Wood tick's Favorite Food	Rhyme	animal,
6/5/2024	We were flower girls in weddings	I do not know?	humor,
6/5/2024	Strong Feelings About Money	Narrative	parents,
6/5/2024	remembering my best self	Free verse	age,
6/5/2024	Kansas is Clay Country	Prose Poetry	flower,garden,
6/5/2024	I want a golden retriever puppy	Free verse	dog,
6/5/2024	eyes barely keep open	Free verse	sleep,
6/3/2024	She is a Celebrity and a Delight	Narrative	tribute,
6/3/2024	What is Wrong with these Idiots	Free verse	age,woman,
6/3/2024	How Long Has it Been	Free verse	husband,wife,
6/3/2024	No Hate is Certainly Working	Prose Poetry	school,work,
6/3/2024	and of course	Light Verse	work,
6/3/2024	my biggest fear	Free verse	work,
6/3/2024	Glad to Make my Escape	Narrative	work,
6/3/2024	Dorothy Doo Wrong	Narrative	work,
6/3/2024	power animal reassures me	Narrative	work,
6/3/2024	pretend I am dead	Narrative	work,
6/2/2024	Dorothy Doo Wrong	Narrative	school,
6/2/2024	From Loving My Job to Glad to Make my Escape	Narrative	school,teacher,
6/2/2024	personal question	Free verse	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/2/2024	I Emailed you a Tinkerbell Giftcard	Light Verse	computer,
6/2/2024	Dentist OverTalks	Prose Poetry	fear,
6/2/2024	heading toward heaven	Free verse	life,
6/2/2024	enticed by kicking feet	Light Verse	husband,
6/2/2024	blind date is second rate	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
6/2/2024	Jack Turners Other Lifetimes	Narrative	spiritual,
6/2/2024	Do you want to Cogitate it	Light Verse	humorous,
5/30/2024	I Think I Shall Write Faerie Tales	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,5th
5/30/2024	is she the faerie of the prophecy	Free verse	fairy,
5/30/2024	why do you write poetry	Free verse	poetry,
5/30/2024	how do you write poetry	Free verse	poetry,
5/30/2024	I wrote poetry accidentally	Rhyme	poetry,
5/30/2024	poetry of dance	Free verse	dance,
5/30/2024	Poetry Contests are Fabulous	Prose Poetry	poetry,
5/30/2024	Trixie Wants to Write Poetry	Free verse	poetry,
5/30/2024	The Quintessential Enthusiastic Medium	Narrative	poetry,
5/30/2024	Poetry is Playing	Free verse	poetry,
5/29/2024	Three stained glass crickets	Rhyme	fantasy,
5/29/2024	Bear with a Banjo Tree Hugger	Alliteration	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/29/2024	Pliable Kitten Back in The Day	Couplet	age,cat,woman,
5/29/2024	Bubbly Verbose Bee	Monorhyme	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/29/2024	all we need now	Rhyme	food,
5/29/2024	Victor feels Frowsy Disheveled and Frayed	Rhyme	emotions,
5/29/2024	You Twins Have Never Looked Better	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/29/2024	Janis Joplins Porsche	Couplet	car,
5/29/2024	If we Americans Keep Eating	Free verse	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/29/2024	Infatuated by Barney Bull	Prose Poetry	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/27/2024	no one appeared to notice their beauty	Free verse	city,
5/27/2024	wolf and deer are my constants	Free verse	animal,
5/27/2024	watching his dad fall in love	Free verse	divorce,father son,parent
5/27/2024	Queen of Merryland	Couplet	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/27/2024	Rhiners Diners Cool Cats	Couplet	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/27/2024	auntie needs seven giraffes	Couplet	animal,
5/27/2024	Thought you took your woolen scarf	Rhyme	animal,
5/27/2024	new lava lamps	Narrative	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/27/2024	Beauty Shoes for Beauty Toes	Rhyme	10th grade,4th grade,5th
5/27/2024	just make a cheeseball	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/26/2024	Gemstone Central	Abecedarian	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/26/2024	rockstar hedgehog	Rhyme	animal,
5/26/2024	children know crown centers beauty	Rhyme	travel,
5/26/2024	can I turn on the light	Couplet	fairy,fantasy,
5/26/2024	they are cancelling school right	Narrative	school,snow,
5/26/2024	Why would she bring her darlings here	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/26/2024	Krampus instead of Santa	Rhyme	christmas,
5/26/2024	do not question santa	Rhyme	christmas,
5/26/2024	Is Your Name Katie	Rhyme	family,
5/26/2024	Mardi Gras of Twenty Nineteen	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/24/2024	hey did you see that	Couplet	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/24/2024	do not test coral	Free verse	ocean,
5/24/2024	Blue Dog by George Rodrigue	Free verse	art,
5/24/2024	my pretty pink pig pet	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/24/2024	but brides wear white	Rhyme	color,fashion,
5/24/2024	no one eats the same chili at my house	Narrative	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/24/2024	seeing flying swans	Free verse	bird,
5/24/2024	Hi Hi Hi	Free verse	life,
5/24/2024	I am not happy with you Grandma	Light Verse	grandchild,
5/24/2024	Pirate Penguin is new to the Captain Game	Couplet	animal,
5/23/2024	stamping and stomping into kindergarten	Couplet	teacher,
5/23/2024	what about those matching jewelry gifts	Narrative	mystery,
5/23/2024	father heard his sons plea	Free verse	native american,

My Photos

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
Ballroom Lust	Free verse	desire,fantasy,lust,sexy,
Foresight and Intuition	Free verse	flying,imagery,light,love
The Night Sky	Haiku	nature,night,sky,stars,
Goodbye	Narrative	death,
Beckoning Beyond	Senryu	dance,dark,fantasy,imager
Don'T Go Stale	Free verse	inspiration,motivation,
Homes	Haiku	beauty,
Lights Out	Verse	scary,
Snuffle	Rhyme	animal,earth,farm,food,ha
The Butterfly	Couplet	butterfly,
One Gray Hair	Rhyme	feelings,grandmother,grie
Sex Change	Limerick	body,humorous,me,
The Times They Aren'T A-Changin'	Rhyme	society,technology,today,
Love Is Not a Sound	Free verse	love,
The Vacuum Cleaner Bong	Limerick	character,crazy,creation,
Moon Song	Blank verse	friendship love,
Gyspy Soul	Free verse	faith,feelings,imagery,in
Old Tom	Lyric	absence,age,death,goodbye
Resuscitated Memories	Free verse	memory,october,rain,roman
What If	I do not know?	10th grade,art,autumn,bea
The Great Glowing God	Rhyme	men,
My Nineteen-Seventies	Bio	emotions,growing up,music
A Silent Song	Romanticism	imagery,romance,romantic,
Sins In the Sand	Rhyme	bible,uplifting,
Shades of Love	Rhyme	dream,emotions,love,roman
Dragonfly	Quintain (English)	creation,
What Is That Blinking	Free verse	appreciation,environment,
Noah's Apprentice On the Ark	Monorhyme	animal,bird,caregiving,da
What We Had Was Real	Rhyme	lost love,sad,
Aura	Free verse	beauty,husband,wife,
My Reflection	Couplet	mirror,nonsense,
You May Have Taken a Fall	Free verse	courage,encouraging,inspi
Hopeless	Free verse	anger,
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
The Consolation of Danger	Free verse	adventure,emotions,fear,j
Angels Meeting With God	Free verse	bereavement,
Soulmates	Free verse	appreciation,computer,int
Black Widow	Free verse	betrayal,black love,death
How Big Is Yours	Personification	cute,fun,humor,pride,
Break Up	Tanka	10th grade,boyfriend,brea
I Dont Watch Lions	Rhyme	adventure,africa,animal,e
Sister	Alliteration	allusion,analogy,
The Outsider	Free verse	bird,dark,death,hope,inse
Unslept Night	Rhyme	sleep,
Magick	Free verse	crush,love,
With a Pen	Lyric	emotions,poetry,
Mixed Nuts	Free verse	how i feel,humanity,peopl
Spinning Top - Winged Vehicle	Light Verse	anger,flying,magic,moving
Friendship	Rhyme	friendship,
Ain'T He Plump (To Tune of Ain'T She Sweet)	Light Verse	parodydance,dance,
Just Maintain That Course	Free verse	courage,encouraging,inspi
The Light of a Child	Free verse	adventure,dedication,devo
Think I Need a Man In My Life	Rhyme	fun,funny,life,love,
Flash Memory Therapy	Free verse	appreciation,creation,ins
Gypsy Rose	Crystalline	imagery,
Elephant In the Room	Rhyme	angst,people,
Monster	Tanka	corruption,fear,
Heavenly	Haiku	christmas,heaven,holiday,
A Case of the Blues	Limerick	humorous,satire,
Thriving	Senryu	angst,anxiety,crazy,games
Arthur	Free verse	betrayal,death,love,sorro
Ink Wisdom	Free verse	imagery,inspiration,intro
Pow	Senryu	adventure,celebrity,chara
Everything Seems Different Today	Free verse	change,cheer up,confidenc
Haiku - Tears of Time	Haiku	flower,life,nature,rain,s
Humpy Dumpty Mystery	Rhyme	children,funny,humorous,m
The Crafting of Clouds	Haiku	sky,
I'M So Annoyed Just Looking At Her	Clerihew	humorous,
Nature the Artist	Rhyme	nature,
Sea Shell	Rhyme	imagination,nature,nonsen
Love's Power	Free verse	analogy,appreciation,desi
Free Mind	Free verse	visionary,
Mind Created	Free verse	birth,god,love,religious,
Eye of Egypt	Free verse	faith,imagery,inspiration
Know How	Free verse	age,humanity,life,wisdom,
Queen of Croissants	Free verse	abuse,anger,anxiety,betra
Last Lust Lorn Lament	Senryu	life,love,lust,
A Witch's Plight	Free verse	angst,anti bullying,anxie
In Remembrance of Veterans Day 8x8	Rhyme	conflict,hero,war,
Old Fogies: Part Ii	Free verse	age,community,crazy,humor
- Runs In Powdered Snow -	Free verse	animal,beauty,celebration
Random Acts of Kindness	Free verse	humanity,uplifting,
What Am I Missing	Free verse	humanity,identity,inspira
She Loves Jewellery	Quatrain	beautiful,beauty,desire,h
Halloween Hesitation	Iambic Pentameter	halloween,
Being Cool	Epigram	cool,
From the Womb	Diminished Hexaverse	appreciation,beautiful,ea
Seasons Change	Cinqku	nature,people,perspective
Vietnam Reflections1	Free verse	war,
Parable of the Talents	Rhyme	appreciation,bible,blessi
Song	Senryu	appreciation,memory,nosta
She Wolf	Personification	animal,howl,
She	Verse	i am,introspection,love,p
Dreamscapes An Education In the Mind	Diminished Hexaverse	appreciation,dream,educat
Elvin Dreams	Dodoitsu	dream,earth,fairy,miracle
Sharp	Senryu	fun,happy,humor,perspecti
Winters Rhapsody	Free verse	nature,seasons,winter,
Take Those Necessary Steps	Free verse	courage,encouraging,inspi