Oddball Stories with M. James Harper

Thank you for reading Oddball Magazine this Monday.

 

And Now for Something Completely Different

J. S. Coursey at Oddball Magazine. 

True Story

Here's some more autobiographical goodness courtesy of Anne Skove's latest comic. Read "She Who Laughs Lasts" at Oddball Magazine. 

Hey, I'm Back!

"Banned Book Blurb" is my latest micropoem for dadakuku. As always, I appreciate petro c.k. every they welcome me back in their journal.

At Least No Trans People Were Hurt

For Monday, Mike Mesterton-Gibbons with a magical story that J.K. Rowling can't really take credit for. Welcome to the new week at Oddball Magazine. 

Happy Birthday, Chrissy Stegman

 

 

Impressive

Graffiti in Montreal might be more mellow at first, but it's also more daring. Stuff like this on a bridge with no easy way to go over must be a rite of passage.

This Week's Friendly Reminder

There are groups fighting for affordable housing. Look up this site (specific to Jamaica Plain) just for starters. 

My Monday Morning Music

Focusing on new music again this week. Starting with another band new to me.

 

 

"Long Distance Relationship" by Toni Artuso at the Boston Poetry Marathon

In another era, we could've called this weekend the Boston Poetry Odyssey.

 

 

Anna Geoffroy on Breakups and Astronomy at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

 

Remembering

My partner's mother passed away this past Monday. This is a photo I took of her birthday celebration in 2017. Over the last couple of years, I meant to post this on her Facebook on the anniversary of her last few birthdays. Sadly, I kept forgetting.

Happy Birthday, Rona Laban

 

 

Happy Birthday, Rusty Rose

 

 

Your Weekly Dose of God

The inside of Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, where we saw a light show called The AURA Experience our second night in Montreal.

Jean Dany Joachim at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

My Saturday Haiku for Bluesky, 8-15-26

Hydrangea look like

whites washed with blue and red socks.

Let's give up today.

Happy Birthday, Chris Warner

 

 

Happy Belated Birthday, Aaron Devine

 

 

Daniel Pritchard Astonishes at the Boston Poetry Marathon

My Friday Evening Music

I think Canadian law requires me to finish this week of Canadian artists to play more Bryan Adams. But I'm playing the one you don't hear as much as that "Summer of 69" song.

 

Snap for Harris Gardner at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

Christopher Hughes at the Boston Poetry Marathon

Sailor Wisdom

Wise Words by Bruce Wise closes out Oddball Magazine.

Thanks for reading us this week.

Waiting

Need some confirmation before I can start posting videos again. 

She Was Here

Janet Cormier's Bamboozled No More! is up now at Oddball Magazine.

Is it a happy Friday? I never think so anymore.

My Friday Morning Music

Continuing my nod to Canada with an Alanis Morissette song you don't hear as much on the radio anymore. 

Leopards Eating Faces Update!

 

"Hey, Marco, Rubio! you stay here in the plane while I go get something to eat. If you see a giant leopard, just tell them I'm bringing them a sandwich. It's going to be the best sandwich, and this is the most well-behaved leopard ever."

Steven Riel Keeps It Real at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

A Summer Poem by Hannah Baptiste

 

Love and Mattie Deed at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

Forgiven?

 

Ilan Mochari is featured for this week at The Arts Fuse.

So Visceral

James Van Looy keeps it up with this week's poem column.

It's All One Thing is up now at Oddball Magazine. 

Simeon Berry Kills at the Boston Poetry Marathon

 

 

Cleaning Up

The Chad Parenteau's Lost Causes newsletter for August 12 is up now at Substack.

Saying and Spraying

New contributing poet James Aitchison is up with returning artist Bill Wolak.

Thanks for reading Oddball Magazine this Wednesday.

Travel Poem

"In a Montreal Bus Station" is my latest for The Rye Whiskey Review. Thanks to John Patrick Robbins for accepting what's often my rawest work.

Athena's Side Gig

Glad to have a photo with a flash fiction piece by new contributor Jen Backman. 

Thanks for reading Oddball Magazine this Wednesday. Be back later.

Here Comes the Rain

 

Doug Holder's Lyrical Somerville features...himself! His poem this week focuses on the anniversary of a Ray Bradbury story. Read it now over at The Somerville Times.

No Stone Soup for August

Due to an event I am not making public, I am making myself "on call" to support loved ones and can't guarantee I'll be free and available to host Stone Soup for the rest of August. So Stone Soup is taking the month off.

We will return the first week of September. I will be posting news about future features soon.

Something New

I like the Obama parody "Chump" posters of Trump, but the Jester  hat drawn on is a bit much. Were this made by The Jester, a graffiti artist I've documented before?

A Moment of Comics

Imagine you're fighting for your lives against fascism and your only ally judges you as fighting "too hard." To me the criticism that someone is "trying too hard" is a criticism from the privileged, from those who don't have to try at all, who have never had to put 100% of themselves into a goal. Is the person stealing food to survive trying so hard? I've been thinking about this a lot. From Empire #6 by writer Mark Waid, penciler Barry Kitson and inker James Pascoe.

American Haiku: Trump Cuts Gordian Knot

When I started my Sarcastic Haiku series, I wrote my first American Haiku. An American Haiku doesn't care about tradition, formality or history. it takes as long as it wants to make its point because America. You can read others I've written since by clicking here and scrolling down. 

American Haiku: Trump Cuts Gordian Knot

 

If we ban vaccines 

for kids, that's less to spend on

healthcare right? Free non-healthcare for all!

Happy Birthday, William Allegrezza

 

 

Happy Birthday, Robert Vaughan

 

 

"Prayer" by M.P. Carver

 

Your Wednesday Morning Poetry

Because I'm still in a Canadian state of mind, here's a fitting poem by Leonard Cohen. Read "All There is to Know About Adolph Eichmann" courtesy of the Read A Little Poetry website. 

Elisabeth Weiss Versus Spring

 

Doug Hoder Sketches Revere

 

“Mr. Bello” by Jack Giaour

That rare time when The Odyssey is a timely subject. 

"Approaching Prayer" by Rusty Barnes

 

Anne Elizabeth Pluto Reads in Tribute to Jennifer Martelli

RIP Jennifer Martelli.

Burning Out

May Contain Traces of Me, Part Seven: . Read it on my Patreon.

Smoothless?

Poet Susan Isla Tepper and photographer Alexis Rhone Fancher are up now for Tuesday at Oddball Magazine. 

This Week's Most Distinguished Network Name

It's amazing what people will name their online networks. I'm always trying to hijack Wi-Fi when I'm commuting, so I often come across a number of interesting names. Every Tuesday, I post the most impressive and/or cringe-inducing names.

Nice to know Canadians like internet puns too.

Happy Birthday, Coleen T. Houlihan

 

Victory Lap

Took this photo of the John Hancock just after we locked up the Community Church of Boston building after day and night one of the Boston Poetry Marathon. I was going to photograph it again on Sunday afternoon but had to leave early due to an emergency. Thanks to everyone for their patience as I continue to upload videos today. photos will be available on the Boston Poetry Marathon Facebook group page and later on its Instagram page. And its underused Bluesky page if I have time.

Elizabeth S. Wolf at the 2026 Boston Poetry Marathon