The Chad Parenteau's Lost Causes newsletter for March 18 is up now at Substack.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Several Have-Nots
Enjoy a series of micropoetry by Pegah Rahmati Nezhad with artwork by Ken Tomaro. Thanks for joining us this Wednesday at Oddball Magazine.
Keytar Bear, Back Bay
I was so busy last week I forgot to post my Keytar Bear sighting back on Friday.
Always Be There
Young poet Allyson King breaks the morning silence and starts up Oddball Magazine this Wednesday with help from returning contributor Luis Lázaro Tijerina's photography. Welcome aboard.
Looks Like Shit Now
This spot went from having innocuous art on it to having anti-fascist graffiti placed on it to having it covered over in gray to having it with graffiti again. An no one's come to clean it. I wonder if that's because the graffiti is simply nonsensical and not overtly anti-fascist?
A Bonus Moment of Comics
This MF Doom album (with art that makes the musician look like a certain Marvelous villain) has been resting for some time r behind the window of a certain restaurant that may or my not be closed. I love that someone put a sticker of a huge smiling mouth on the window so they appear to be on the Doom mask. Now I picture Dr. Doom yelling in 60s comic book fashion "How dare you place fake lips and teeth on Doom's visage!"
A Moment of Comics
My heart goes out to Roberta Gregory, whose latest collection has been delayed due to an Iranian missile hitting a ship that was carrying her book's entire print run off the Strait of Hormuz. Enjoy a page of Gregory's creation, Midge McCracken, being her best self from Naughty Bits #8.
American Haiku: Trump Says Take Your Boats and Go Home
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 Says Take Your Boats and Go Home
Who needs you countries
when I can trade blood for oil?
Who's got blood? Who's got blood?
The Rest of My Saint Patrick's Videos in One Post
My intro before going out to the parade.
I kept my smartass energy going for a bit.
Luckily, I brought my Homestar puppet.
Your Wednesday Morning Poetry
More Iranian poetry. Read "Night Is" by Nima Yushij, translated by Kaveh Bassiri, on the The Center for the Art of Translation (CAT) website.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
April 1: A Tribute to Ron Goba at the Cantab Lounge
As someone who knew Ron as a friend and mentor, I am honored to be part of this special tribute to Ron happening on April 1, the beginning of National Poetry Month.
I am grateful to Tom Daley for organizing this event and getting as many people as possible to gather under one roof to say farewell to a literal and figurative giant in the Boston poetry scene.
Join myself, Tom, Nate Connors, Michael F. Gill, Victoria Bosch Murray, Jenny Oliensis, James Stotts and Prabakar Thyagarajan and countless other lovers of Ron at The Cantab on 738 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The door opens at 7:15 and starts at 8:00 PM.
I hope we can fill that room one last time.
Not Free
Happy to provide a photo for Peter F. Crowley's poem in this Tuesday morning's portion of 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.
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| And now I know all about this meme. |
Saint Patrick's Day
I can't think of anything more Saint Patrick's Day and Bosotn than a bit of graffiti celebrating Boston next to a bit of graffiti saying "Where the Hoe's at?!"
Yeah, I Know
Exhausted. No breakfast. No lunch. Went to bed very early.
I'll be posting a bunch today.
Monday, March 16, 2026
More Coming
Come back later. I'll not only be posting Saint Patrick's parade stuff but news for April. I can't post anything until I get home.
Can't Go There
An I.C.E. inspired poem by Susan Isla Tepper with photography by Phoebe Wilcox gives us our three o'clock highlight over at Oddball Magazine.
New Work from Rick
To get an advanced sneak preview of Rick Christiansen's more recent work coming to Stone Soup on Wednesday, check out his newest published poem, “Latency (Outbreak)," on the Masticadores Taiwan page.
DIY Muppets?
Anne Skove shares a comic zine on how to make felt. Anne Skove gets educational in this week's "She Who Laughs Lasts" over at Oddball Magazine.
Not Formerly Known As...?
Poet Mike Mesterton-Gibbons writes on what ol' Andy hasn't lost. That's how we kick off Monday and the week over at Oddball Magazine.
Good God, I Have More!
Surprises Me
Somehow, the work of the Big ⇡ 02130 artist survives in Brookline. the most graffiti unfriendly area in the entire Boston area!
This Week's Friendly Reminder
Haven't posted a BLM reminder since last year. Luckily, JP's activists do a good job keeping these signs up even when everyone else forgets.
My Monday Morning Music
A group of us went to see the Dropkick Murphys last Friday. This week I'll feature some of the songs I heard for the first time. Then for the following two weeks, I'll feature music from their opening acts.
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Friday, March 13, 2026
My Friday Evening Music
I've been sitting with the music of this album and only now finished listening to it. After hearing this song and seeing the video, I'm pretty sure I'm going to try and write about this album.
Chapter 25
Steven David Justin Sills has come out with Chapter Twenty-Five of his ethics treatise with more artwork by Richard Spisak. Enjoy both now over at Oddball Magazine.
Keeping It Short
My one line poem about Spring is up now at Smols along with a plethora of other micropoets up today. Thanks so much, Robert Beach Jacobson.
Taking a Moment to Reflect
My Dilbert essay from January has gotten what I think has been the best reaction of all my Medium articles. The fact that it's not monetized tells me that might have something to do with it (and also doesn't tell much good news regarding any future I have as part of Medium). Take a read if you haven't already over at The Ugly Monster and consider subscribing to me or the Medium journal.
My Friday Morning Music
"Song of the Future" is a funny title coming from what's now a classic rock act. But it is in fact a song for the late Iranian activist Sarina Esmalizadeh. I don't know if U2 was expecting things to escalate the way they did in Iran when this album was released.
Leopards Eating Faces Update!
Erika Kirk's appointment is a leopard feeding in the making. Trump's making another Kristi Noem, another person out of their element and unprepared for the backlash of simply following Trump's orders and taking heat off of him.
How could fascist America turn on a woman who's a widow to a pro-fascist podcaster? Oh, come now. You underestimate the MAGA base's willingness to turn on each other in a moment's notice.
Like Kristi Noem, she'll be guilty, but she'll also be a patsy. Just wait.
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Family Fun
Thanks to John Mulrooney and the rest of the crew at The Arts Fuse for accepting "Disown" as their latest featured poem of the week.
Addicted to Winning
James Van Looy keeps it quick this week with his poem column. Read It's All One Thing, up now at Oddball Magazine.
Stone Soup Poetry All Open Mic, 3-11-26
From this week's online gathering. Poetry, music, drama, and Sean Connery impersonators. Wait...
A Wave with New Friends
Old friends, new friends. The makings of a good all-open mic night. Thanks to everyone who came out last night. Come back next week as Stone Soup features Rick Christiansen.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Let's Get Out of Here
I'm done.
So done.
Done done done.
Let me go home and prepare for Stone Soup Poetry.
I hope you join me tonight.
Pride Now
We end now with flash fiction by Zoe Carver and photography by Jennifer Matthews. Thanks for reading Oddball Magazine this Wednesday. We'll miss you until next time.
New Review Up
I reviewed the first two issues of Babs: The Black Road South by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows. Read my newest piece for The Ugly Monster and pick up the comic before the third issue comes out.
America
Welcome new contributing poet Caleb Merritt with returning photographer Glenn Bowie. Let's make this Wednesday a good one at Oddball Magazine. Glad you're with us.
Springing Into March
North of Oxford has come out for March. Read this month's collection of poetry and reviews compiled by g emil reutter and Diane Sahms.
The Book Man Cometh
Tom Lyons, one time owner of the New England Mobile Book Fair, shares his poetry in this week's Lyrical Somerville. Read it now over at The Somerville Times.
A Moment of Comics
I have a feeling that there's not going to be a lot of inspirational war stories this time around. More people are going to end up like the "heroes" in Greg Irons' "Raw War Comics," published in the underground comic Hydrogen Bomb and Biochemical Warfare Funnies.
American Haiku: Slightly More Dignified Transfer
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: Slightly More Dignified Transfer
Where is Trump, you ask?
At the consignment table
ready to sell his hats after the show!
Your Wednesday Morning Poetry
Iranian American Kaveh Akbar is featured this week with his poem "Do You Speak Persian?" courtesy of the Split This Rock website.
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