"I write the poems first, with only a few exceptions for odd reasons, where I'm given the illustration first"

This quote by Jack Prelutsky recommends that he generally writes his poems first, with just a few exceptions. These exceptions are for odd reasons, such as when he is provided the illustration first. This suggests that Prelutsky prefers to produce the poem initially, and then find an illustration to accompany it. This could be due to the fact that he wants to guarantee that the poem is the main focus of the work, and that the illustration is secondary. It might also be due to the fact that he wishes to guarantee that the poem and the illustration collaborate to develop a cohesive art piece. By composing the poem first, he can guarantee that the illustration is an ideal fit for the poem.