This lecture (in English) will be held Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 at Lakeland University in Shinjuku.

"A Pedagogical Poetic Essay: Tokyo Poetry Journal, Creative Writing & Visions for Kanto Universities", presented by Taylor Mignon

One of the purposes of Tokyo Poetry Journal, per its mission statement, is to show how Japan's contemporary poetry and art are second to none, and are globally influential. While haiku and tanka are placed on mantles of importance, as they should, far too often the whole of Japanese poetry is reduced to these forms, as if Japan weren't a coevally industrialized nation. Far too often, Japanese artistic production is unfairly labeled as derivative. In this lecture, Taylor Mignon will posit examples from Japan's language, its recent poetic past, Tokyo Poetry Journal, and his students' creative writings to counteract that reductionist view. Mignon will then share his methods for unleashing students' imaginative faculties for creative writing, of which he will provide examples. The presentation will actively involve the audience in pair-writing activities as a means to demonstrate how to discover our innate ingenuity.


Poetic experimentalist, adjunct lecturer & amateur critic Taylor Mignon is Editor Emeritus and co-founder of Tokyo Poetry Journal and editor-in-chief of the first six issues, including the Japan and The Beats book-length edition (v5) and the Butoh and Poetry issue (v6). He translated surrealist poet Torii Shōzō (1932-1994), published as Bearded Cones & Pleasure Blades. He currently directs Creative Writing components at Daito Bunka, Musashi & Bunkyo Universities.

For a map and directions to Lakeland's Shinjuku Campus, see our website:
http://luj.lakeland.edu/Campus-Life/lakeland-lectures


Lakeland Lectures are a forum for researchers, students and members of the public to discuss contemporary issues affecting Japan. Lakeland University has offered a U.S.-accredited liberal arts program in Tokyo since 1991. Lakeland's main campus is in Wisconsin, USA and was founded in 1862.