If you haven't done so yet, I just wanted to mention that you can sign up for a free monthly newsletter from Poet's Market (edited by yours truly) by going to www.poetsmarket.com and entering your e-mail address in the little field provided for e-mail updates. It's a good way to keep up with what's going on in Poet's Market, as well as this blog, and it's free!

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Also, I'm going to be interviewed tonight at 8 p.m. (Pacific) on J.P. Dancing Bear's "Out of Our Minds" poetry program on KKUP Cupertino. We'll be talking poetry and discussing the April PAD Challenge.

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For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem about either a specific routine or routines in general. Maybe something related to taking out the trash each week or washing the dishes every night--or something more bizarre (yet still a routine).

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Routine"

Each morning, I wake up and weigh myself,
thinking that a prompt and poem won't come
today. I look at the books on my shelf,
but my brain still feels permanently numb

thinking that a prompt and poem won't come.
I search for poetic forms to assume,
but my brain still feels permanently numb.
It comes down to triolet or pantoum--

this search for poetic forms to assume.
Both offer rhymes and some repetition:
It comes down to triolet or pantoum.
I choose without hope or expectation.

Both offer rhymes and some repetition.
Today, I look at the books on my shelf
and choose without hope or expectation--
each morning, waking up to weigh myself.