Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton – What to expect and a Surprise

My dear followers and subscribers,

This post will explain what to expect from Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton, forthcoming from Literary Revelations.

I want to make it clear from the beginning: Hikari’s fabulous contribution is much bigger than mine. She painted the art and wrote the tanka. I only wrote the foreword and corresponding haiku, approaching her paintings from a different point of view.

So let’s start, because at the end I have a surprise for you.

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton

Trim: 8X10 inches
Text: English-Japanese
Amazon premium paper glossy
Foreword and bios in English and Japanese
Hardcover and paperback

The novelty brought by the book – Different interpretations of the same image

Hikari’s vibrant brushstrokes capture emotions and moments in time, while her tanka adds layers of meaning that resonate deeply with each piece. My haiku serves as a reflective lens, offering a different perspective on the same visual stimuli. This interplay between our approaches shows how art can be perceived through varied lenses, highlighting the beauty and meaning of our individual interpretations.

In 2003, when my publishing house, Literary Revelations, was still in its infancy, fate brought me to Hikari through a dear friend. The moment I laid eyes on her paintings; I was utterly captivated; they were a breathtaking homage to Japanese art. Each piece resonated with an ethereal beauty—pastels blending seamlessly with the elegance of fans and the grace of swords. It felt as though time stood still for those few seconds as I absorbed the profound artistry before me. Hikari’s work transcends mere aesthetics; it tells stories steeped in tradition and culture, inviting viewers and readers of tanka into a world where every brushstroke holds meaning.

This encounter ignited a spark within me – a desire to collaborate on a project that would not only showcase Hikari’s incredible talent but also convey my unique vision of the art of haiku. Hikari is Japanese, and she spent her young years in Europe. I am a European who now lives in the US. Together, we decided to create something extraordinary that honors both her heritage and my interpretations of the art of haiku.

In the name of our friendship, HAIKU AND TANKA: LULL, HARMONY AND POWER IN JAPANESE ART was born.

[from the foreword]

When you open the book, here is what you will find [the margins will not be there]

English translation of my haiku: Naoki Kimura.

Surprise

Hikari has painted a new fabulous piece for you and written a new tanka. I just wrote a corresponding haiku. Those pieces will not be included in the book.

HIKARI – TANKA

かの君が去りて始まる季節かな木の傘など　わたしは要らぬ

you walked away then
a new season took its place
more fair than before
your shelter was but a show
I stand alone, unshaken

GABRIELA MARIE MILTON – HAIKU

This earth feels too small,
Umbrella of love unfolds—
Time melts on your skin.

I hope you enjoyed this experience. Sending love and hugs to everyone.

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: Love Poems and Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton in Portland Book Review
Woman: Splendor and Sorrow: Love Poems and Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton in Manhattan Book Review
Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings in San Francisco by Gabriela Marie Milton in San Francisco Book Review
Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings by Gabriela Marie Milton In Manhattan Book Reviews

Short Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton, and do not forget Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power coming soon at Literary Revelations

A happy and productive new week to all my followers and subscribers. I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! A short poem/poetic prose by me, and do not forget Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power coming soon at Literary Revelations – an exceptional art album co-authored by me and our artist in Residence, the fabulous Hikari. Please check Literary Revelations Journal for updates and follow on X and IG @lr_publisher

Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton

Your breath forgets to move,
lingering like silk in amber,
caught between the smell of leaves and memory,
where touch burns slow against the skin and time,
heavy with wanting.

photo: Gabriela Marie Milton

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

Basque Lore – Witch (Sorginak)-Short Prose – Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Amaia moved as if the earth itself exhaled her name. The cup before her shimmered with fern, salt, and a shard of the sea’s first bone—the one that once wrapped around her ankles like a lover unwilling to let go. She broke the root of a tree between her fingers, and the scent of sap rose, thick and sweet as memory.

Her dress slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet like dusk surrendering to night. Naked, she began to dance—slowly at first, then with the rhythm of wind through stone, of rivers through veins. The air bent toward her, the mountains listening. Mist gathered around her skin, luminous and alive, her hair trailing down her thighs like spilled ink.

We were children, hidden beneath the bed, breathless. Through the slats, we saw her summon the world back to itself—one movement, one whisper, one trembling note at a time.

Reminder

Please do not forget that in November Literary Revelations will bring you a splendid art album (7X10) by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

Title, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art

Authors, Hikari: Paintings and Tanka.

Gabriela Marie Milton: Haiku

To those of you who are my friends here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your likes, comments, and support. Love you.

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

Sacred Autumn – short prose, poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Sacred Autumn – short prose, poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Those nights of autumn—when the chill did not wound but healed, when the air itself seemed to breathe through us, cooling the fever of our restless hearts. Our eyes, heavy with the weight of constellations, closed like petals surrendering to the dusk. The city stirred beneath our footsteps, its silence trembling awake, its shadows turning to watch us pass.

Your lips traced, in the tender blindness of night, the outline of my fingers as though reading a forgotten scripture.

And in those evenings, we learned what few ever do—that desire, once it transcends the body, becomes sacred. We had crossed that invisible threshold where touch dissolves into essence, and what we shared was no longer flesh, but the luminous echo of it.

Reminder

Please do not forget that in November Literary Revelations will bring you a splendid art album (7X10) by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

Title, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art

Authors, Hikari: Paintings and Tanka.

Gabriela Marie Milton: Haiku

To those of you who are my friends here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your likes, comments, and support. Love you.

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

From Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese art – by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton (art album upcoming at Literary Revelations) & More Updates

My dear followers and subscribers, I wish you a fantastic week filled with joy and happiness.

Today I would like to:

Ignite your curiosity with the enchanting upcoming art album and poetry collection entitled Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art, crafted with heart and soul by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.
Share the exhilarating news of a prestigious award that my publishing house, Literary Revelation, has proudly received!
Remind you of a few things.

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art, by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

it is with a sense of reverence and anticipation that I welcome you into the luminous world of Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art. Within these pages, the inspired artistry of Hikari and the lyrical insight of Gabriela Marie Milton weave an exquisite tapestry, inviting you to witness the delicate interplay of image and word. Here, art and poetry converse, giving voice to the ineffable.

The tradition of Japanese art is a testament to subtlety—a choreography of brush and spirit, of line and stillness, tracing the arc of centuries. Hikari’s paintings, shimmering with the echoes of ancient customs and the gentle cadence of nature, are not mere representations but meditations. Each canvas offers a sanctuary for contemplation, drawing us into depths where the soul may linger for a while.

For every painting, two poetic visions arise: the tanka, Hikari’s powerful thread, unspools with grace, capturing the hidden currents of emotion, justice, and sometimes memory; the haiku, rendered by Gabriela Marie Milton, distills the moment into lyricism—a dewdrop reflecting the vastness of feelings. Both forms, though inspired by a single image, diverge in their journey, each illuminating facets the other cannot reach. In their dialogue, they evoke shifting patterns, perhaps a sort of adulterated perspectivism, as they try to find unity in ultimacy.

From the book.

TANKA – HIKARI

短歌: 誇らしく百花の王花開き育て主への敬意を捧ぐ
（林泉寺の住職ご夫妻に捧げます）

peonies, Queens of Flowers
bloom proudly
never forget gratitude
toward those who raised and taught them

-Tanka dedicated to the head Priest and his spouse of the Rinsenji-Temple, Japan

HAIKU – GABRIELA MARIE MILTON

magic sacred temple
how beautiful your silence
fresh flowers whisper

魔法の聖なる寺院
あなたの沈黙はなんて美しいのでしょう
新鮮な花々がささやきます

Many thanks to Japanese artist Naoki Kimura, who translated my haiku into Japanese.

Relevant picture by Hikari

Advertising the book:

I am elated to share with you that after receiving the BEST PUBLISHER IN THE USA OF 2025 by BEST OF BEST REVIEW, Literary Revelations has received the BEST POETRY PUBLISHER IN THE US OF 2025 – EVERYGREEN AWARD.

LINK: https://evergreenawards.com/awards/literary-revelations-publishing-house-best-poetry-publisher-in-the-u-s-of-2025

Reminder:

Please do not forget to check out Literary Revelations’ latest album: Fine Art Photography Lullscapes in Light and Shadow by Japanese Artist Naoki Kimura. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Art-Photography-Lullscapes-Shadow/dp/B0FP9JL6TL

Follow Literary Revelations and subscribe: https://literaryrevelations.com/

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books.
Please read other reviews here:

Category: Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese art – by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton

Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton – What to expect and a Surprise

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton

The novelty brought by the book – Different interpretations of the same image

Surprise

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Like this:

Short Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton, and do not forget Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power coming soon at Literary Revelations

Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton

Like this:

Basque Lore – Witch (Sorginak)-Short Prose – Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Basque Lore – Witch (Sorginak)-Short Prose – Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Reminder

Like this:

Sacred Autumn – short prose, poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Sacred Autumn – short prose, poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Reminder

Like this:

From Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese art – by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton (art album upcoming at Literary Revelations) & More Updates

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art, by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

Reminder:

Like this:

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton

The novelty brought by the book – Different interpretations of the same image

Surprise

My books (Only English)#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis) #1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)

Like this:

Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton

Like this:

Basque Lore – Witch (Sorginak)-Short Prose – Poetic Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Reminder

Like this:

Sacred Autumn – short prose, poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

Reminder

Like this:

Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art, by Hikari and Gabriela Marie Milton.

Sharing the exhilarating news of a prestigious award that my publishing house, Literary Revelation, has proudly received! BEST POETRY PUBLISHER IN THE US OF 2025 – EVERYGREEN AWARD.

Reminder:

Like this:

My books (Only English)
#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)