My dear followers,
It is with great pleasure that we bring to you the full cover design of Petals of Haiku: An Anthology, a superb book that Literary Revelations plans to release mid to late May 2024. We are humbled by your submissions. Over 150 poets are included in this anthology and we are profoundly grateful to the award winning Japanese painter Hikari whose art work is phenomenal, as well as to the award winning Japanese photographer Naoki Kimura who provided the background photo.
We are also proud of the wonderful and innovative cover design, done by Iuliana Irimia, a young and talented artist, based in Montreal, Canada. Iuliana worked with Hikari’s beautiful cover art and the end result is a gorgeous marriage between Hikari’s Japanese art and Iuliana’s Western take on the conceptualizing of haiku. This marriage is highly reflected in the haiku included in this book.
A Few Words about the Anthology
Petals of Haiku is not just an anthology that Literary Revelations is proud to publish. It’s a masterpiece that encapsulates the essence of haiku poetry like never before. The spectacular haiku writers featured in this collection bring to life the delicacy of seasons and the profound range of human emotions, from joy to grief, in a way that is both delightful and deeply moving.
The art on the cover by award-winning painter Hikari sets the tone for what awaits inside – a world where words dance off the page and into your heart. The background photo by award-winning Japanese photographer Naoki Kimura adds another layer of beauty to this already exquisite collection.
A few words about Japanese haiku
Before Literary Revelations publishes the anthology I want to share with you several thoughts advanced by Westerns and Asian scholars on haiku. The traditional haiku form is one thing 5-7-5 syllables and it is generally known by all writers of haiku. However, most importantly for Literary Revelations is what we discovered in the haiku included in our collection. That is to say how the poets included in the anthology expressed their feelings and how haiku evolved since its inception to the present.
As Bruce Ross argues in the The Essence of Haiku (Modern Haiku, 2007), “affective feeling generated through the absolute metaphor of haiku became associated with different kinds of aesthetic values in traditional Japanese haiku. Mono no aware, “the pathos of things,” is an overall term for how one is affected by things. Other aesthetic values in haiku include wabi, “simplicity,” sabi, “metaphysical loneliness,” and yûgen, “mystery.” Contrary to Western poetics (aside from Romanticism), for example, Oriental (sic!) poetry and poetics was centered upon such states of affective feeling…. So rather than being a senseless thing, a flower in a given context could radiate affective feeling for the Japanese haiku poet not as symbol, but as an existentially valid presence.”
The last sentence here is of great importance. Symbolists will disagree that a flower is a senseless thing. However, they will argue that the symbol behind the flower is magic and meaningful; the real flower is just “charming.” Yet, this does not mean that symbolists cannot understand or feel what haiku transmits. Poetry is art and as Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson claims art “helps us identify with one another and expands our notion of we—from the local to the global.” One can go ahead and look at the work of scholars who study the neuroplasticity of the brain and decide for himself/herself.
Bruce Ross continues, “It should be noted, additionally, that the “feeling” in haiku is usually not the demonstrative emotion of Western poetry. Haiku is not used to express strong emotions, which are usually reserved for tanka. Rather it is a mode of receptive feeling between a poet and his natural subject, even though the poet’s emotional climate often affects and even directs his/her relation to the subject.”
While the first part of the paragraph is clear the second claim appears questionable. If the emotional climate affects and directs the relationship to the subject is then the flower only “an existentially valid presence”?
One way or another Bruce Ross’ essay is extremely valuable. You can find it here
Again, we are thrilled to release the gorgeous cover and we hope you enjoy it.
Gabriela Marie Milton
2022 Pushcart Prize Nominee
Publisher, Editor, Award Winning & #1 Amazon Bestselling Author
Books:
Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology (ed.), Literary Revelations, 2023
Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women (ed.), Experiments in Fiction, 2022.
Woman: Splendor and Sorrow :I Love Poems and Poetic Prose, Vita Brevis Press, 2021.
Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings, Vita Brevis Press, 2020
So beautiful, Gabriela! So excited to hold this work of art in my hands!! 👏👏🌹🌹☘☘
Good morning Patrick. Thank you so much. I am very excited too!
Well done and congratulations to all of those involved 🌏😊
Thank you so much Ivor. I really appreciate your kindness.
Wonderful! Congratulations, Gabriela. How are you doing?
Thank you so much Tim. Happy with this book. Working. Otherwise you saw what is happening. Anyway, the kitties are fine. How are you? How are the kitties?
Our kitties are ornery and spoiled. I’m doing OK. I’m dealing with a lot of pain, but working on reducing it.
Oh, Tim, I am so sorry to hear about the pain. I hope you can reduce it. I am glad the kitties are ok. My best wishes to you and treats to the kitties. Sending hugs to everyone.
Nice 👌
Thank you.
Very nice
Thank you so much.
I respectfully submit that 5-7-5 is arbitrary, even to the Japanese. An understanding of the “Now Moment” as inconclusive is also important. The following link is to both an excellent explanation of Haiku and motion/emotion in poetry particularly with the use of subject and form. https://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/cummings/Welch4.htm
Thank you Phil. I will read. 5-7-5 became arbitrary indeed. That’s just the traditional Japanese form.
Congratulations on the publication. Loved the essay on haikus.
Thank you for your kind words. Publication coming up at the end of May.
Lovely explanatory text, and yes, the cover is terrific, too!
Thank you Liz!
Lovely explanatory text, and yes, the cover is gorgeous, too!
Aw, thank you so very much Liz. Huge hugs.
Fantastic!
Thank you Dawn 🙏🌹
Thank you for the cover and the instruction, Gabriela. I am always interested in learning more.
Oh, dear Gerald, you are so kind. Thank you so much for your support. I am deeply grateful to you for your encouragement..
Congratulations to you and the contributors, Gabriela!
Thank you so much my dearest Liz 🙏🌹 I am touched by your kindness. Sending hugs 🤗
You’re welcome, Gabriela.
xoxo
Congratulations and best wishes dearest Gabriela 😊
That’s so kind of you hon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏❤️❤️
Congratulations! 👏
Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️
You’re very welcome!
🌹
Beautiful cover! Congratulations 🎉
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
💐
🌹🌹🌹
Lovely design!
Thank you so much hon!
I love the cover design, It’s really beautiful and it looks perfect for this haiku Anthology.
Oh, Blanca dear, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sending you lots of love 🙏❤️
So beautiful 💕
Thank you so much 🙏🌹
❤
xoxo
Looks magical.
I am so glad you like it Bo.
xoxo
❤️