Tokyo Weekender’s series TW Creatives features various works by Japan-based writers, photographers, videographers, illustrators and other creatives in a bid to provide one additional platform for them to exhibit their talent. The works submitted here belong entirely to the creators — Tokyo Weekender only takes pride in being one of their most passionate supporters!
For our latest entry, we present the bilingual transnational experimental poetry by Tokyo-based author, professor and Tokyo Poetry Journal editor Jordan A. Y. Smith. This is an excerpt from his newly published poetry book Syzygy, available for purchase here.
Featured image: Syzygy book cover
Art by Tanada Koji and Eliza Frye. Graphic design by Ota Aoi.
新たな何か・Thing of Novelty
(excerpt)
You can listen to the poem performed here.
Author’s profile
Jordan A. Y. Smith wears a bunch of random hats around Tokyo. Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at Josai International University, teaching comparative literature, translation/localization, and branding. Author of poetry and art volume Syzygy (Awai Books, 2020) and co-author of books such as Sea of Trees: Poetic Gateways to Aokigahara. Editor-in-Chief for Tokyo Poetry Journal and co-organizer of KOTOBA, the national poetry slam of Japan.
Produces programs for BBC Radio 4 on Japanese poetry and culture. Translator of many of Japan’s leading poets. As Partner in the Tokyo office of creative agency Technology Humans And Taste (THAT) Japan and as curator for DIESEL Art Gallery (Shibuya), he has planned and produced various digital art and branding projects. Co-founder of the collective Cōem, creating new software and poetic experiences through collaborations with coders and poets. Previously taught at UCLA, Waseda, Sophia, CSU Long Beach, Korea University. Instagram @jordangiraffe
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