For the fourth year, I am participating in the Poem-A-Day Challenge in celebration of National Poetry Month. Along with other Living Poetry members, I use prompts from the Poetic Asides blog for the 30 days. As I promised myself, I am going to share my poetry more by posting the PAD challenge poems to the blog. I hope you enjoy!

Prompt: A new arrival

When Boredom Comes

She slips in under the doorjamb, dragged in

by the last crossed off item on your to-do list.

She loosens her clutches and plops down

silently on your clutter-free desk. She tries

to be helpful—rearranging the office supplies

to your liking: shifting the tape dispenser to the left

side then back to the right, placing the stapler

next to it—no, behind it—separating paper clips

from binder clips, sorting and counting each type

by size. You watch her straighten and re-straighten

pictures on the wall, line up chachkies, knick-knacks,

and doodads along the tops of bookcases, make

the books stand erect and alphabetized. She’s given up

dusting, but doesn’t mind a mop and broom or washing

a window or two. But before long, she’s done everything

she can and leaves you alone to finish what she started.

~Pamela L. Taylor © 2013