Vol.17: Portraits of Tokyo launch party

As part of the first Tokyo Poetry Week festival, ToPoJo's love letter to Tokyo was launched on Nov. 15, 2025, at Art Atelier in Oshiage, in collaboration with More Than Music as hosts of the venue.

Drunk Poets See God cohost Samm Bennett and ToPoJo editorial team members Jeffrey Johnson, Barbara Summerhawk, Zoria Petkoska, Silje Ree and Biankah Bailey.

Photos and portraits were a thread throughout the night — our editors were taking instant photos of the visitors and printing them a copy and artist Simon Kalajdjiev drew portraits of visitors in the audience.

The reading of the poems from "portraits of Tokyo" opened with a speech by Jeffrey Johnson, the editor-in-chief and lead editor of the volume, who shared some touching memories from the ToPoJo beginnings and announced the new editor-in-chief to succeed him: Zoria Petkoska K. Cofounder Barbara Summerhawk was the next to read and share the journal's story from 10 years ago. Zoria decided to read a poem by Matias Chiappe, her coeditor from ToPoJo's volume 11.

From top left: Jeffrey Johnson, Barbara Summerhawk, Damiana De Gennaro, Michiyama Rain, Jeffrey Eli Holt, Aleksandra Priimak. (Photos by Marcellus Nealy)

New voices took the stage too: Aleksandra Priimak, Damiana De Gennaro, Jeffrey Eli Holt, while music and poetry blends were performed by Samm, Bennett, and Herman Bartelen, who was supported by guitarist Steve. Longtime ToPoJo contributor and collaborator Michiyama Rain recited bilingually his poem in Japanese and Aleksandra Priimak read the English translation ( by Jordan A.Y. Smith).

We also welcomed special guests: slam poet Miki Yuuri, who has just returned to Japan after touring internationally, and Paolo Guerrero, a guest from Mexico who performed his poem in Spanish and in English translation. 

From top left: Paolo Guerrero, Miki Yuuri, Herman Bartelen, Marcellus Nealy, Samm Bennett, Zoria Petkoska K.

The evening ended with an expressive impromptu poetry performance by ToPoJo editor Marcellus Nealy, who also announced the theme for the next issue: oral tradition and narrative-based poetry.

The event was supported by More Than Music, who provided space, food and drinks, allowing the guests to sit back, relax and fully immerse themselves into the performances.