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New Footles Contest/ Some Suggestions for Footle Writing - Andrea Dietrich's Blog

About Andrea Dietrich

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Andrea Dietrich grew up in Iowa and now resides in Utah with a spouse and two cats. She has two grown children and six grandchildren. Having graduated BYU with a Spanish major/ESL minor, she has spent most of her adult life teaching. It wasn't until 2000 that she began writing in earnest and discovering her "niche" as a writer of lyrical poetry. The internet opened up a new world for her, and she has spent two decades now participating in poetry clubs, acting as a judge of poetry contests for various magazines, for the website Shadow Poetry, and for Poetry Soup.

Ms. Dietrich has won numerous awards, as well as the title Poet of the Year 2008, from the Yahoo group, Poetry For Thought. In addition, she has won prizes from the magazines Lucidity, Bell's Letters, Art with Words, Poets at Work and SP Quill, the magazine for which she wrote grammar and poetry articles as well as movie reviews and for which she acted as poetry editor for the head editor Marie Summers for six years. Many of her poems appeared in Shadows Ink, a yearly published series of chapbooks of award winning poetry as well as in numerous other anthologies. Her short stories appeared in many issues of SP Quill and much of her poetry was published in eight chapbooks (no longer sold online).

Since coming to Poetry Soup, Ms. Dietrich has been both contest sponsor and winner of numerous contests. In 2010, her poem "Cinder Girl" was first place winner of Soup's International contest (these contests are no longer held). A song was created from her lyrics "Honeymoon Serenade" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDWxc4cpHDc) and two movies have been made featuring the poetry of Andrea Dietrich: "A Tale of Fire and Ice" (a 4 min. Z-Film Fest Project, 2014) and the full length movie "Six Days of Sistine" in which 20 poems of Ms. Dietrichs serve as the thoughts of two characters played by Jamie Campbell Bower and Elarica Johnson (directed by Richard J. Perry, 2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7710360/

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New Footles Contest/ Some Suggestions for Footle Writing

Blog Posted:8/17/2014 8:15:00 PM

I was very inspired by Judy Konos to do my own footle contest. I can't believe I have never done one yet. Or did I?? Anyway, here is part of what I posted at my contest description and I hope it might prove helpful to those who do not quite get the concept of footles yet:

First, the payoff in a good footle is actually not just in the rhyming of two very short lines of 2 syllables each. It is also in the TITLE. Once you have two great rhyming words, just think up a really clever title to go with your footle! If you have seen Judy’s recent winners’ list, there are some examples for you right there. Also, you can type in footles in Soup’s search engine and view many other examples to get an idea how it is done.

I am noticing that some people are not quite getting the knack of it. Footles have to RHYME. I am seeing some people not rhyming them. Specifically the second syllable of line one must rhyme with second syllable of line two. However, even the first syllable of each line can rhyme! Here are a few examples from my collection:

To Flatter a Large Woman

Call ‘er
smaller

Theft at the Meat Market

Bacon
Taken

Finally, you don’t even have to rhyme them on both syllables of each word the way I do, but that has always been my style. You can also use two separate 1-syllable words on each line with only the second one-syllable word having the rhyme. I have never done any that way, but I saw a few like that in Judy's winner list. I can't think of an example right off the bat. Anyway, I hope this is a little helpful at least. Hope everyone had a nice Sunday!

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Paul
Callus

Date: 8/22/2014 11:56:00 AM

Hi Andrea....I see that the Footles craze has become a frenzy:) I keep seeing them everywhere. Even when I comment I get the urge to write in Footle form!! Here's one for the road:: ) Curviture: Limbo ~ Bimbo. // paul

Tim
Ryerson

Date: 8/19/2014 10:17:00 AM

Your first example is probably the funniest I have read - From: Tiny Timmy To: Dandy Andie...

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/19/2014 11:42:00 PM

thanks, Tim, that was one of my first footles.

Jan
Allison

Date: 8/19/2014 8:59:00 AM

Today first date footles and new baby... am inspired by these simple forms:-) Hugs jan xxx

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/19/2014 9:05:00 AM

Glad to see you like them, Jan. Hope all is well with you today! such busy days. I wish I had many more hours each day than I have!

Jan
Allison

Date: 8/18/2014 10:52:00 AM

Now I've written 'drinking footles for fun' lol am on a roll!

Jan
Allison

Date: 8/18/2014 10:18:00 AM

I have written some 'ladies of the night footles for fun' - please drop by and see Tim and Eileen joining in and being SO norty!!! Jan xxxx

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/18/2014 2:43:00 PM

hahaha. I can only imagine!!

Olive Eloisa
Guillermo - Fraser

Date: 8/18/2014 10:04:00 AM

weeee.. :D like your samples Andie Hope i can make something lighter and funnier.. :D!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/18/2014 2:43:00 PM

I'm sure you can, sweetie pie.

Jan
Allison

Date: 8/18/2014 5:23:00 AM

Ohh Andrea I found the last footle challenge so so hard - just as testing as a longer poem - got some thinking to do now:-) Hugs jan xxx

Jan Allison
Date: 8/18/2014 9:06:00 AM

I have now submitted them she says blushing LOL:-) Hugs Jan xxx

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/18/2014 9:01:00 AM

Look at Eileen's examples here! she is on the right track and I know you can do it too. I mean, come on, you have done some really funny poems!

Eileen
Manassian

Date: 8/18/2014 2:25:00 AM

I'm with Craig on this one! For the life of me...I can't get this little guy right! ;) I'll try!!!! Hugs

Eileen Manassian
Date: 8/18/2014 9:05:00 AM

THANKS! ;) I have one or two up my sleeve still, but I wanted to know your opinion on safe ones! ;) Humor is so foreign to me. That Husband's Nursery Rhyme should be...Or Hump me/Grumpy! Sheesh...too vulgar! ;) But a good take on Humpty Dumpty, no? Hugs

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/18/2014 9:00:00 AM

Eileen, Don't give them all away. Remember I don't want to know who is doing what!! But some of those you said were good!

Eileen Manassian
Date: 8/18/2014 2:50:00 AM

I'm SO MAD! I just wrote about six and LOST THEM! :( Pressed the wrong key....BTW...do you accept bawdy stuff? Need an example? Nursery rhyme for HIM... Humpy/Grumpy...Oh Goodness me...What about...Gift for Wifie....Racy/Lacy....Or Or....My Kind of Man...Hunky/Chunky....Or or...My kind of Man part 2 Teaser/Pleaser...Oh dear! Give me FEED BACK...I'm DYING HERE!

My Past Blog Posts


Contestants - Poofread your Andaree Date Posted: 4/29/2024 12:14:00 AM
Please EDIT before I judge my contest: ONE LINE ONLY Date Posted: 2/25/2024 2:51:00 PM
Congrats, Sijo Winners Date Posted: 2/4/2024 11:28:00 AM
In Need of Clarification on putting info underneath poems Date Posted: 2/4/2024 9:09:00 AM
Note to Those who entered my Sijo Contest - blog slightly revised Date Posted: 2/3/2024 12:52:00 PM
About Sijo Date Posted: 1/14/2024 1:44:00 PM
Finally judging/ my Grinchy Rules/ A Gremlin in my Soup Date Posted: 12/22/2023 12:13:00 PM
Example of Ninette For Those Who Want To Try One for my Contest Date Posted: 11/7/2023 1:20:00 PM
Just Noticed Something Since we came back online Date Posted: 10/26/2023 1:25:00 PM
Going back to 50th high school Reunion Date Posted: 9/13/2023 11:57:00 PM
Please Recheck your entries for my July Etheree Contest/My Daughter Date Posted: 7/23/2023 4:48:00 PM
Why I am putting off judging my contest till next weekend Date Posted: 7/16/2023 2:00:00 PM
Joyce Johnson from 2022 at age 104 Date Posted: 6/28/2023 12:08:00 PM
Tributes to Harry Date Posted: 6/25/2023 2:00:00 PM
In Memorial: Beloved Soup poets Who Have Passed Away Date Posted: 5/28/2023 11:03:00 AM
Where is Nette Onclaud (as well as others who have wandered away)?? Date Posted: 5/25/2023 12:46:00 PM
Thanks, All who Supported my Tankacrostic Contest Date Posted: 4/8/2023 4:16:00 PM
Limerick Contest Judged at last Date Posted: 3/13/2023 3:55:00 PM
Poetry Phoenix - will others return? Date Posted: 3/13/2023 2:35:00 PM
A Blog on our dear Joyce Johnson Date Posted: 12/27/2022 9:41:00 AM
Chantelle is Well: Blog for Chantelle on Her Behalf Date Posted: 11/22/2022 10:06:00 AM
Blog for Our Friend Chantelle Date Posted: 11/20/2022 12:41:00 PM
Tributes to Connie Finalized Date Posted: 10/30/2022 4:37:00 PM
News on Connie's Memorial Service for Anyone Interested Date Posted: 10/11/2022 3:52:00 PM
Remember September is Judged; New Tribute Contest to be Posted Date Posted: 9/23/2022 8:53:00 PM

My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
5/9/2024	RAT	Other	animal,
5/7/2024	When Silence Speaks	List	appreciation,
5/6/2024	Surprise Birthday Party	Rhyme	humorous,
5/5/2024	Dylan Thomas	Clerihew	poetry,
5/4/2024	LOVE	Sonnet	love,
5/2/2024	Love	Couplet	love,
5/1/2024	Mountebank	Rhyme	psychological,
5/1/2024	Dogs-be-gone!	Limerick	humorous,
4/29/2024	John Stuart Mill	Clerihew	philosophy,
4/28/2024	When Dawn Drifts Into Enchanted Meadows	Sonnet	nature,
4/27/2024	Reflecting - Mirror	Etheree	god,
4/27/2024	Living Surreality One Night in Oregon	Narrative	surreal,
4/26/2024	My Biggest Hobby	Rhyme	life,
4/25/2024	In His Image	Etheree	god,
4/23/2024	LIFE	Acrostic	life,
4/23/2024	John's Visit: Ephemera theme	Free verse	boyfriend,
4/22/2024	Wishing for Dawn	Rhyme	rights,war,
4/21/2024	Zinnia	Sonnet	flower,
4/19/2024	Reverse Graffiti	Other	light,
4/19/2024	Join Together	Shape	peace,
4/19/2024	After the Floods	Sonnet	rain,
4/17/2024	Yearn	Sonnet	passion,
4/16/2024	That Was Then; This is Now	Etheree	identity,
4/15/2024	Forgotten Field of Forever	Free verse	childhood,war,
4/15/2024	High Fidelity	Free verse	inspiration,
4/13/2024	Reverse Graffiti	Other	light,moon,
4/12/2024	For Spring I Sing	Sonnet	seasons,
4/11/2024	Write	List	write,
4/10/2024	Bird Footles -2	Footle	bird,
4/9/2024	Beach Fun for My Feet	Verse	beach,
4/8/2024	Footles for the Birds	Footle	bird,
4/8/2024	One New Year’s Eve	Senryu	new year,
4/6/2024	If Giraffes	Limerick	animal,
4/6/2024	What Happens to Our Socks	Rhyme	humorous,
4/4/2024	Babel	Rhyme	society,
4/3/2024	Sweet Rose	Ode	rose,
3/31/2024	Vanish	Rhyme	people,
3/30/2024	Daniel Defoe	Clerihew	writing,
3/26/2024	A Canary and Cat Tale	Limerick	cat,
3/26/2024	A Hunger Unfed	Prose	people,
3/25/2024	I’ll Always Be Loving You	Lyric	love,
3/25/2024	Dispatch for Bus Drivers : Search That Bus	Rhyme	school,
3/23/2024	Sun	Personification	sun,
3/23/2024	Our Family Legend Dale	Acrostic	brother,
3/22/2024	An Interview with the Color Blue	Narrative	blue,
3/21/2024	Queen Sea	Rispetto	water,
3/20/2024	Lanterne Laterns for the Season	Lanterne	spring,
3/19/2024	Of Writing on Black and White	Rhyme	color,
3/19/2024	I Wish I Had	Etheree	relationship,
3/18/2024	Utterly	List	life,
3/17/2024	Woven Worlds	Other	nature,
3/16/2024	Appreciation	Acrostic	people,
3/13/2024	La Di Da	Rhyme	pride,
3/11/2024	Tattered	Sonnet	heartbreak,
3/10/2024	William Wordsworth	Clerihew	poets,
3/9/2024	A World Without War	Acrostic	war,
3/9/2024	Once Upon a Time	Free verse	life,
3/8/2024	Guess Who	Rhyme	celebrity,
3/8/2024	Daffodil	Personification	flower,
3/7/2024	Spring Sonata	Free verse	spring,
3/6/2024	I Am the One	Sonnet	time,
3/3/2024	The Gigglemug - Dodo	Dodoitsu	giggle,
3/3/2024	Soft	List	remember,
3/2/2024	Beauty	Rhyme	love,
3/1/2024	If Mama Ain't Happy	Rhyme	mother,
3/1/2024	Michael Cain	Clerihew	today,
2/29/2024	Misused	Lyric	lost love,
2/28/2024	Bunnies	Rhyme	animal,
2/27/2024	Spontaneity	Rhyme	fun,
2/27/2024	Sheep Valentine	Couplet	love,
2/26/2024	To those who entered my One Line of Alliteration: The Name Game contest	Monoku	poets,
2/25/2024	Redamancy	Sedoka	kiss,
2/25/2024	Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater - the rest of the story	Rhyme	anti bullying,
2/24/2024	Magic Minichu	Rhyme	magic,
2/23/2024	It Started with a Blank Canvas	Etheree	beach,
2/22/2024	Building Tension	Sonnet	romance,
2/21/2024	She	Rhyme	mythology,tree,
2/20/2024	Rambling	Sonnet	travel,
2/20/2024	On Contests	Tanka	writing,
2/19/2024	Robert Frost	Clerihew	poets,
2/19/2024	I Am	Couplet	love,
2/17/2024	In Spring	Etheree	spring,
2/16/2024	Beatles McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Starr	Verse	teen love,
2/14/2024	Gotta Go, Gotta Go Right Now	Rhyme	humorous,
2/14/2024	Edgar Allen Poe	Clerihew	literature,
2/13/2024	Life’s Wonderful	Kyrielle	life,
2/12/2024	Pearl of the Orient	Quatern	international,
2/11/2024	Part-time ESL Teacher - PS	Blank verse	jobs,
2/11/2024	Male Slang Footle Names - final part	Footle	boy,
2/10/2024	One Spring Long Ago	Personification	love hurts,
2/10/2024	Heloise - First Draft	Triolet	love hurts,
2/5/2024	Quiescent	Sonnet	peace,
2/4/2024	Rid of You	Lyric	moving on,
2/2/2024	Discombobulation and Beyond	Rhyme	dark,
2/2/2024	Charlotte Bronte	Clerihew	writing,
2/1/2024	Undone	Quatern	lost love,
1/30/2024	A January Hiku	Haiku	day,
1/30/2024	Spice of Life	Blitz	food,fun,
1/29/2024	Male Footle Slang Names: Part 7	Footle	humorous,
1/28/2024	You Rogue	Quatern	love hurts,

My Photos

ps_2009 vacation.jpg

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
The Stone	Elegy	death,love,
A Winter Night	Lyric	imagination,nature,
Violin	Personification	death,love,rose,
Just Wait and See	Free verse	nature,science,space,
My White Lace Tablecloth	Narrative	family,forgiveness,friend
A Limerick Christmas Three (3) .	Limerick	funny,seasons,thank you,c
Always Mothers Day	Rhyme	funny,mother,thank you,me
A Pirate Jay	Light Verse	animals,
Divine Splendor	Blank verse	introspection,nature,scie
Brother - Billy	Narrative	brother,childhood,family,
Umbrella	Personification	confusion,devotion,life,l
You Played Me	Personification	confusion,imagination,mus
Concept of Time	Free verse	nature
Jingle	Free verse	funny,life,music
An Ever-Changing Universe	Narrative	mysterylight,light,univer
Transcendence	Tanka	fantasy,imagination,natur
Spaces .... the Earth Moved .....	Imagism	love
December Sun .	Rhyme	naturewinter,sun,winter,
A Whisper On the Wind	Personification	nature,
Footsteps	Free verse	fatherme,me,
If Ever	Free verse	love,
Dreams Like Light-Waves	Prose Poetry	imaginationautumn,
A Fantsy World	Haiku
September Song (Triple Tanka)	Tanka	nature
Where the Sycamore Grew	Narrative	autumn,family,house,life,
Perfect Nature	Haiku	nature
Wild Love	Narrative	garden,love,rose,sweet,
Positive Perspective	Tanka	inspirational
My Pilot Light	Verse	inspirational,introspecti
Love's Echos	Free verse	lovevoice,love,me,voice,
For Wifey	Rhyme	loveme,love,me,i love you
Alabaster Night	Free verse	nature,planet,sea,
Causalities of War	Elegy	death,war,
" Ike and Jane "- Sequence 2	Light Verse	funny,love,wifeme,me,time
Pretty Orchids	Free verse	caregiving,happiness,hope
Even a Sparrow Soars	Free verse	animals
My Piano Knows	Verse	devotion,happiness,holida
Dancing With the Stars	Free verse	nature,scienceblue,
The Unrequited Mantra	Free verse	devotion,hope,lost love,l
Fig Tree, New Year's Day	Narrative	naturewinter,winter,new y
Poets At-Large	Free verse	life,
To Know You	Free verse	devotion,husband
Moved To Tears By Josh Groban	Verse	music,on writing and word
Sequence-Sonnet	Lanterne	life,love,on writing and
Reflections	Free verse	happiness,life,lovesun,
Somber Is the Color of the Day	Free verse	day,light,me,winter,words
A Winter Rose - a Sonnet	Sonnet	rose,winter,
The Word Weaver	Free verse	introspection,lifeme,
Each Day a Gift	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
Contrary Kisses	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
She Waits...	Free verse	art,hopelonging,
Blue Heaven	Haiku	nature
A Death In the Sun	Free verse	hope,seasons
My Reason For Living	Free verse	husband
Terra Firma	Haiku	nature,science,time
How Could I Have Known	Free verse	husband,love,mystery
True Poetry In Motion?	Free verse	inspirationalmay,
Frozen In Time	Free verse	seasonssnow,snow,
Forgotten Treasure	Light Verse	adventure,art,beauty,enco
Putting On Makeup	Rhyme	introspection,sad,
Desire	Light Verse	butterfly,flower,life,los
Love? Bah!	Rhyme	lost love,lovelove,
Real Life Shoe Fable	Clerihew	husband
Black and Blue	Rhyme	abuse,funny,husband,me,
Foreboding	Haiku	mystery,nature
A Song At Sunrise	Couplet	faithsong,song,
Beat Out the Rhythm	Rhyme	funny
What Do the Stars Tell a Lover's Heart	Free verse	adventure,fantasy,happine
The Green Checkered Face	Free verse	food,happinessheart,heart
Play It	Free verse	inspirational,love,music,
Twilight's Fading Light	Free verse	life,nature
Marble In Columns On Green	Couplet	brother,daughter,father,h
I Will Be Strong	Free verse	angst,husband,lossme,
The Ghost of My Lonely	Kyrielle	dream,me,mystery,
Whiteness	Acrostic	tribute,
The Beauty of Yore	Free verse	nostalgia
The Return	Free verse	childhood,
Wandering Soul	Free verse	happiness,inspirational,n
December 21, 2012	Limerick	business,funny,holiday,ph
Love Like a Mighty Oak	Haiku	love,nature,tree,me,me,
Sunset On Galway Bay (Haiku No. 34)	Haiku	inspirational
The Farewell Performance	Free verse	lifefilm,
Andrea Dietrich	Rhyme	friendship,inspirational,
Purple Flowers of My Adolescence	Free verse	allegory,angst,urban,
Cloud - Recited	Free verse	me,nature,
Transformation	I do not know?	allegory
Darkness	Rhyme	love,
If You Are Lonely	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
A Lovers World and Dreamers Dream	Rhyme	fantasy,love,heart,dream,
Fickle-Foolish-Footles - Man's Best Friend	Footle	animal,dog,funny,
Picnics and Sand	Quatrain	beach,humorous,
Fireflies	Haibun	love,nature,me,light,ligh
Time Out	Free verse	depression,devotion,fanta
Your Single Glance	Rhyme	romance,
O'Er the Battlements I Do Roam	Dramatic Verse	war,home,home,
Love Embraced	Tanka	love,autumn,
Winter Promise	Free verse	nature
Nature and I	Free verse	creation,earth,nature,
Teacher's Pet	Rhyme	people,
Melting Into You	Free verse	how i feel,romance,