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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
5/26/2024	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,
5/23/2024	I said Horse	Prose Poetry	art,humor,humorous,
5/23/2024	Exquisite Toronto Water Reflections	Free verse	water,
5/23/2024	dark thoughts in a parking garage	Free verse	car,
5/23/2024	winter is blue and sparkly	Free verse	winter,
5/23/2024	where do we start	Free verse	peace,
5/23/2024	like a statue	Free verse	animal,
5/23/2024	Captain Mardonna	Free verse	fantasy,
5/22/2024	young innocents fall in love	Free verse	love,
5/22/2024	Does Bull Have to be in the Christmas Photo	Light Verse	animal,christmas,
5/22/2024	can we keep him	Light Verse	dog,
5/22/2024	we three pups of orient are	Free verse	parody,
5/22/2024	Our Mother was Perky	Prose Poetry	mother,
5/22/2024	Have Yorkie Elf a Merry Little Christmas	Free verse	christmas,
5/22/2024	he always had hope	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/22/2024	How Some Cats Are	Rhyme	cat,
5/22/2024	How Many are in Your Family	Prose Poetry	10th grade,4th grade,5th
5/22/2024	I am a Child	Free verse	me,
5/21/2024	let's be haughty and stuck up	Light Verse	humor,
5/21/2024	TV Shows back in the Sixties	Free verse	nostalgia,women,
5/21/2024	old gold cigarette girl	Free verse	nostalgia,
5/21/2024	leading doctors smoke Camels	Free verse	nostalgia,
5/21/2024	Winston Tastes Good	Rhyme	nostalgia,
5/21/2024	ding dong Avon calling	Light Verse	nostalgia,
5/21/2024	How Was School Back in the Day Grandma	Prose Poetry	humorous,
5/21/2024	Captains Suspicions	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,5th
5/21/2024	Mr Crows Protected Tree	Couplet	tree,
5/21/2024	Lovely Bird is Haughty	Couplet	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/19/2024	Carens Dream House	Rhyme	dream,
5/19/2024	Value of Helping Others	Narrative	pain,teen,
5/19/2024	the fuzzy toad couple	Couplet	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/19/2024	what do you call her	Prose Poetry	family,
5/19/2024	snowman takes a loose ride	Couplet	winter,
5/19/2024	Amethyst Floral Woman	Couplet	women,
5/19/2024	jackalope queen	Couplet	1st grade,2nd grade,3rd g
5/19/2024	warning to grandma	Rhyme	art,
5/19/2024	carrot and cabbage pies	Monorhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/19/2024	dont be rude	Couplet	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	How can she be normal	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/18/2024	they do not want money	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	witch on the payroll	Rhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/18/2024	bunny disguised as a crow	Rhyme	animal,
5/18/2024	Mrs Grafftin Wheelchair Designer	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	scottish dog sits on Celtic mamas lap	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	balancing cat	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	cross legged mega creature	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/18/2024	Dapper Coachman and Caterpillar Steed	Monorhyme	3rd grade,4th grade,5th g
5/18/2024	Pointy the Pig	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/17/2024	child invents instant creative hairdo magic	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,5th
5/17/2024	Happily Ever After for a Fallen Star	Rhyme	star,
5/17/2024	blue barbeque sauce	Rhyme	humor,
5/17/2024	Four Met her at the Pearly Gates	Rhyme	teachers day,
5/17/2024	your head will have to be amputated	Rhyme	hilarious,
5/17/2024	Being a Robotics Team Sponsor	Rhyme	teacher,
5/17/2024	Probably the Worst Mom Ever	Narrative	mother,
5/17/2024	Home of the Screaming Cupcake	Personification	humor,
5/17/2024	offending the art teacher eye roll	Light Verse	middle school,
5/17/2024	Carens Dream House	Rhyme	fantasy,
5/16/2024	She stereotypes all Men	Tanka	men,
5/16/2024	But Plumbers Cost So Much	Diminished Hexaverse	water,
5/16/2024	Sand Gets in Everything at the Beach	Nonet	beach,
5/16/2024	bonfire hotdog	Tanka	autumn,
5/16/2024	Mama's Excuses Do Son no Favor	Ninette	mother son,parents,
5/16/2024	Teacher's Star Student	Rictameter	teacher,
5/16/2024	Four Year Olds Need their Nap Routine	Diminished Hexaverse	child,
5/16/2024	broken glass in the kitchen	Nonet	family,
5/16/2024	danger to toddler	Tanka	children,
5/16/2024	New Baby on the Way	Ninette	baby,
5/14/2024	guess how many points we got	Rhyme	teacher,
5/14/2024	trying to toss my cookies	Monorhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/14/2024	even God cannot please everybody	Narrative	god,
5/14/2024	my only disappointment	Free verse	tribute,
5/14/2024	women of the sixties	Free verse	fashion,woman,women,
5/14/2024	ignorance talks	Free verse	fashion,
5/14/2024	normally but not this time	Light Verse	woman,women,
5/14/2024	a leader of the future	Rhyme	10th grade,11th grade,12t
5/14/2024	bitten by rooster orcid	Free verse	bird,
5/14/2024	how does she get so many things done	Rhyme	woman,women,

My Photos

Fav Poems

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