Chad Parenteau: Poet For Hire
The Blog
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Annoying Thought of the Day
Look It Up
James Van Looy's poem column is ready for you to read. Check out It's All One Thing over at Oddball Magazine.
Jules Nyquist Features at Stone Soup Poetry, 2-25-26
From this week's online gathering. Thanks to Jules for a wonderful respite from the cold and snow. Visit the Jules' Poetry Playhouse website to buy her books and learn about her any events.
Bye to February
Maybe now we can say bye to all the snowstorms and other insanity. Thanks to Jules Nyquist for a wonderful performance. Be sure to visit her website, Jules' Poetry Playhouse, for all her books and events.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
This Was a Long Day
Tonight I go home and resume Stone Soup Poetry.
Jules Nyquist is our long-awaited feature for tonight.
I hope you will join us.
Fried
Sometimes Less Means Less
Read my poem Hysterical Revisionism" over at dadakuku and check out the rest of petro c.k.'s wonderful journal.
The State of Pride
Room for Rent
It makes me sad seeing a room for rent at $1,000 a month (albeit everything included). When I got out of the city for three months in 2002, the best offers I had were sharing a room with three other people at $600 a month. When I cam back, I shared a room for $500 with two other people and eventually got a studio in Jamaica Plain for less than a thousand. Times change.
You Have to Have Hope
Trump took a swipe at trans youth last night. Makes me hope the person who wrote this graffiti is still alive and around in Boston.
A Moment of Comics
I'll be buying a physical copy of this recently leaked issue after hearing concerns from at least one black creator that DC is intentionally trying to sabotage the Dakotaverse part of it's division. The last page of the epilogue of New History of the DC Universe: The Dakota Incident written by Nicholas Draper-Ivey with art by Edwin Galmon.
Part One of Our Dolphin Tour
I would’ve put “and then we died last Wednesday” right here, but the minute I post again you’re not going to believe me.
American Haiku: Trump's Final Message
America has
shit itself before the world,
and you applauded. You applauded.
Just Missed It
We missed our connecting flight on Sunday. We planned to sneak into the Melania movie if we had gotten in earlier, but by the next day, not even off season Florida would keep showing the film. #america #2026
Your Wednesday Morning Poetry
I came across this poem while looking for Jeffrey Epstein poems written by women. Not sure how it came up, but I am grateful for the discovery. Read Caludia Rankine's "From 'Don’t Let Me Be Lonely' [There was a time]" on Poets.org.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
The Long Way Home
Now that I've posted a bunch of my vacation photos from last week, Here's a photo of me trying to walk part of the way home yesterday. I hope the sidewalks are a bit better tonight I have to stop a couple of stores.
Girlfirend at the Wheel
My girlfriend waiting next to the PCB wheel waiting for me while I take pictures and check to see if the Melania "documentary" was still in the nearby theater (it wasn't).
Last Week's Vacation
Around this time last week, my girlfriend and I took a ride on the PCB Wheel. It wasn't nighttime, but it was a lovely view.
One Aisle Open
This Week's Most Distinguished Network Name
Monday, February 23, 2026
Do You Know?
Poet Lynn White and photography Jack Marty are back for the three o'clock spot on Oddball Magazine.
Missed Valentine's Day?
Anne Skove has your back with her comic for this week. Read "She Who Laughs Lasts" now at Oddball Magazine.
We Made It
Eventually we made it to our Panama City destination and the girlfriend was able to feel warmth for a short while. Sure, we're back in the blizzard now, but she'll be happy we have proof we were warm last week. Right?
Last Week's Adventure, Continued
The Frogs Come Out
Oh, Yeah, the Storm
In case my vacation photos and videos from last week are confusing you, make no mistake. I'm home and stuck commuting in the current storm. Back in Panama City, there were days so overcast with fog, I called them undercast, overcast to the point that the obstruction looks like it's coming up from the ground rather than from the sky. This is undercast on a whole other level.
Just So You Know
So two Sundays ago, my girlfriend and I headed out to Panama City, Florida for the week. I sent this photo to my Mom before we took off from Boston with the caption "The view!" Clearly my view got better. This week I'll be sharing TikTok videos I was filming throughout the trip. I had fun.
Getting Closer
The "Why?" graffiti from the person I dubbed Why Guy (not my intention to misgender you) still has this piece of graffiti up about nine years later. Hope it lasts until it's tenth anniversary even as it looks like America won't last past it's 250th.
My Monday Morning Music
Guitarist and songwriter Greg Brown of Cake and writing of the band's penultimate song "The Distance" passed away last week. I'll be focusing on that song today and will look at other songs he penned.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
The Silence Before the Storm
Going out to shovel ahead of the snowfall.
Have to move back the piles we have so the new snow has somewhere to go.
The snow wall by our driveway is too high.
I hope this storm turns out to be overhyped.
But I doubt that will be the case.
Old Friends
Another photo of LUCCI in honor of his birthday. Seen here with Toni Bee after his feature on December 9, 2013. There are people I need to contact today.
LUCCI Performs a Poem as Adam Sandler's "The Waterboy"
From the poet's feature on December 19, 2013. LUCCI was not afraid to be disturbing or just silly in his work. This is one of the latter examples, published on the second birthday since his passing.
Your Weekly Dose of God
People leave religious pamphlets at my job all the time. To leave a Valentine's Day themed pamphlet for February and a pamphlet with Abraham Lincoln on its cover so close to Presidents Day seems less like the actions of benevolent pilgrims and more like crude marketing techniques from an institution.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
March 4: Stone Soup Takes You to the Stratusfier
Arthur "Stratusfier" Williams has been a good friend to Stone Soup
Poetry. I've wanted to get him back, but I got in my own way.
Fortunately, I'm used to being my own worst enemy and finally got him
back for 2026. Arthur will be kicking off the month of March. I hope you'll all be in attendance for his performance.
Join us on Wednesday March 4 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ET by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 898 1226 2346
Password: stonesoup
Winter Haiku
Friday, February 20, 2026
A Timely Eulogy
Monday: The Contro-Verse Open Mic at Urban Media Arts in Malden with Shannon O'Connor
From 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Doors open at 6:30 PM. At Urban Media Arts on 145 Pleasant Street in Malden, MA. Hosted by Anna Geoffroy and Ethan Mackler. Click here for more information.




























