Who's that Poet?

Get to know Krista Drechsel

First things first, please introduce yourself and share some fun facts:

I am a wife, mother to two girls, teacher, and writer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When I’m not teaching or writing, I love running, taking barre classes, canoeing, hiking, playing the piano, and reading.

Fun fact: I learned to play piano when I was four and used to compete in many, many piano competitions (like the music nerd that I was/am).

How long have you been writing poetry and what made you start?

I used to love reading poetry as a kid—especially those silly books of poems my elementary teachers had on their classroom bookshelves. I wrote some poetry in high school, but didn’t really get into it until I discovered Mary Oliver, Ada Limón, and Maggie Smith in my mid-twenties. I remembering thinking, “Oh these are my PEOPLE!”

What a relief to use language and space and breath as a way to communicate what often feels elusive.

Poetry has been an incredibly healing outlet for me and has helped me process what I believe and how I feel.

What is your writing process like?

My writing process is fairly piecemeal in this stage of life. I often jot something down in my notes app while I’m out for a walk or after a good, solid chunk of reading. Memoirs and poetry are my favorite books to read and re-read to frequently find inspiration. And I’m often inspired by conversations with my kids, too!

When I write, I always bring 1-3 books of poetry with me and read a bit before I get started, just to get some words, images, and rhythms flowing.

Another big part of my writing process is listening to authors and poets read their work out loud. Krista Tippett’s On Being podcast is great for this, as is Pádraig Ó Tuama’s Poetry Unbound podcast.

How do you make or find time to write?

I typically get a few words or phrases down over my girls’ afternoon quiet time or in the evenings. A couple of times a week I try to get away to a coffee shop for a few hours to have some uninterrupted writing time.

More often than not, I feel like I have to carve time out of my schedule with a scalpel, but it's always worth it to spend that time investing in something I love and something I believe in, which is the written word.

How does being a mother impact your poetry?

I would be a completely different person/writer if I weren't a mother. On one hand, I'd certainly have a lot more time and energy! On the other hand, I'd have way less joy, inspiration, even frustration and angst and sorrow!

Motherhood somehow turns up the dial of my lived experience and everything feels a bit richer. Poetry is a really beautiful way to process all of it.

Do you have any other creative pursuits? How do they relate to or enhance your poetry?

Music has always been a big creative pursuit for me, especially piano. I still sit down and play when I get the chance, and have started teaching my six-year-old some piano which has been a true joy!

I also love to try cooking new recipes and have gone through different stints with watercolors, printmaking, and baking. I love to pour into other creative outlets when I feel a bit "stuck" in my writing.