Unmasked Haiku – by Gabriela Marie Milton

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Raw: Unmasked Haiku by Gabriela Marie Milton

Unmasked Haiku by Gabriela Marie Milton

another silhouette
reflected in your eye
how slow I bleed

a shot deer
my soul
splashed in red

On the Unmasked Haiku

Traditional haiku often asks us to step backโ€”to observe the falling leaf or the leaning shadow, using nature as a quiet, objective mirror for human emotion. There is an exquisite craft in that restraint, perfected by classical masters like Matsuo Bashล and Yosa Buson, whose work sought spiritual stillness and painterly detachment.

Yet, the history of the form also carries a deeper, more intimate current.

Even among the traditional Japanese masters, the mask occasionally slipped. Kobayashi Issa famously broke from detached reverence, filling his verses with raw, autobiographical grief, wry humor, and the unpolished ache of personal loss. Decades later, Masaoka Shiki revolutionized the art form by championing shaseiโ€””sketching from life”โ€”demanding that poets abandon rigid, artificial conventions to capture unvarnished reality.

An unmasked haiku takes this lineage to its absolute conclusion. It strips away the remaining disguises of distance, objectivism, and polished metaphor. Instead of looking outward at the landscape to reflect what lies within, it brings the raw, subjective human experience directly into the light. It centers an unvarnished “I,” laying bare vulnerable personal truths, immediate emotional states, and the unfiltered weight of daily life.

By preserving the essence of classical haikuโ€”a single, breath-length snapshot captured in three quiet linesโ€”it shifts its focus. The lens turns inward, moving from the natural world outside to the intricate, shadowed labyrinth of the human soul.


Gabriela Marie Milton
4X #1 Amazonbestseller Author an Founder Of Literary Revelations

Join my 20.8 K followers on X (@shortprose1) and my 37.2 K followers on IG (@gabriela_marie_milton)

My books (Only English)

All listed books will feature on Times Square Billboards in September 2026 including Jezebel’s Island.

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelations)
#1 Amazon Bestseller: Jezebel’s Island: A Psychological and Mystery Thriller (Literary Revelations, 2026)

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 B

Read Jezebel’s Island on Kobo + Latest Amazon Reviews


๐ŸŒŸFrom My Heart: A Thank You to My Reviewers

I want to thank my three wonderful reviewers straight from my heart for taking the time to share their thoughts on Jezebel’s Island. Your insights mean the world to me and help other readers discover the secrets hidden within the book.

I am only sharing these three beautiful reviews for now, but I have received so much wonderful feedback. I will be sharing more reviews with all of you very soon, so please stay tuned!


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Exciting News: Jezebelโ€™s Island Is Now Available on Kobo!


Great news for ebook lovers! My book, Jezebelโ€™s Island, is no longer exclusive to Amazon. You can now officially download it on Kobo.

Why expand to Kobo? I want to make sure every reader can access my stories on their favorite device.

Here is why this matters:

  • Global Access: Kobo is incredibly popular worldwide, especially for readers in Japan, (where it is powered by Rakuten ), Canada, Europe, and Australia.
    Device Freedom: You can read it directly on Kobo e-readers or via the free Kobo Reading App on any tablet or smartphone.
    Library Integration: Kobo works seamlessly with OverDrive, making it easier for library lovers to find digital books.

If you have been waiting to grab your copy outside of the Amazon ecosystem, now is your chance!

Kobo Link:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jezebel-s-island


Amazon link

Gabriela Marie Milton
4X #1 Amazonbestseller Author an Founder Of Literary Revelations

Join my 20.6 K followers on X (@shortprose1) and my 35.2 K followers on IG (@gabriela_marie_milton)

My books (Only English)

All listed books will feature on Times Square Billboards in September 2026 including Jezebel’s Island.

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelations)
#1 Amazon Bestseller: Jezebel’s Island: A Psychological and Mystery Thriller (Literary Revelations, 2026)

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 B

Honored: Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award & Featured in P.O.W.E.R. Magazine by Gabriela Marie Milton | Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Literary Revelations

I am deeply humbled and thrilled to share a milestone that holds immense personal and professional meaning for me. I have been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized (P.O.W.E.R.) and featured in the 2026 Summer Issue of P.O.W.E.R. Magazine as a “Woman of the Month.”

When I founded Literary Revelations, my vision was simple yet profound: to create a publishing house that champions authentic, deeply emotional storytelling, preserves cultural heritage, and builds lasting artistic legacies over fleeting digital trends. To see that mission recognized on such a grand scale is a moment I will treasure forever.


Deep Diving Into the P.O.W.E.R. Feature Interview

In the feature spread, I had the privilege of answering questions that touch on the very core of why I write, why I publish, and how I view our collective strength as women in literature and arts. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation:

On Creative Roots and Overcoming Obstacles

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry?

“I discovered my poetic voice after my mother’s passing, a loss that deeply shaped me and led me toward writing. However, my love for language began much earlier. As a student, I was captivated by poets like Rimbaud and Baudelaire, whose work revealed the beauty and mystery within words. Their influence inspired me to transform emotion into art. Founding Literary Revelations became both a professional pursuit and a tribute to my motherโ€”a space where creativity, healing, and global connection come together.”

Q: Tell us about any obstacles you have encountered and how you have overcome them.

“The journey of a poet and independent publisher is rarely linear. I have faced many challenges, but I view obstacles as opportunities for growth. Each difficulty strengthened my resilience, sharpened my creativity, and reinforced my commitment to my vision.”

On Power, Motherhood, and Defining Success

Q: What does the word power mean to you?

“Power is culture. It shapes identity, preserves history, and fosters connection. By nurturing culture, we create a lasting impact that empowers future generations.”

Q: Can you describe a moment when you first felt truly empowered?

“I think I realized my power when I became a mother. If I can create life, I can create everything. In that moment, I felt empowered, beautiful, and happyโ€”like the universe had gifted me infinite strength. Motherhood awakened a sense of creativity and resilience within me, reminding me that I am capable of remarkable transformations. It was then that I truly understood my own capacity to shape the world around me, boldly and unapologetically. It was my son that gave me power and resilience.”

Q: How do you define balance in your life right now?

“It is a work in progress, much like any ongoing struggle for harmony. I often reflect on the beauty of Michelangelo’s unfinished works, where each statue left incomplete still yearns for perfection. My own journey feels similarโ€”no matter how much I strive, true balance remains elusive, always just out of reach. Yet, I find meaning in the pursuit itself, embracing the imperfections along the way.”

On Legacy, Breaking Stereotypes, and Empowering Others

Q: What legacy do you hope to create through your work or actions?

“As the founder of Literary Revelations and a writer myself, my dream is to leave a legacy built on the preservation of diverse cultures through the written word and the arts. Protecting cultural heritage ensures that stories, traditions, and wisdom continue to inspire future generations, fostering understanding and unity across communities.”

Q: What’s one stereotype or misconception about women in your field that you’d like to see change?

“There is a misconception that writing about personal emotions diminishes professionalism. This belief often discourages women from expressing themselves openly. I believe authenticity is a strength, not a limitation.”

Q: If you could empower one person reading this magazine today, what would you want them to know?

“If I could empower one reader today, I’d echo Simone de Beauvoir: define yourself outside of patriarchal structures. Do not limit your potential to social expectationsโ€”break barriers. Change the world by daring to lead and shaping your own destiny with courage and authenticity.”

Moving Forward & Upcoming Milestones

To every author we have published, every reader who has picked up one of our titles, and every supporter who has walked this path alongside meโ€”thank you. This recognition belongs as much to our incredible literary community as it does to me.

A quick note on timing and featured works: This interview was conducted prior to the release of our recent bestsellers, Haiku for Soulmates and Jezebelโ€™s Island. While my standalone books are not shown in the magazine spread photo, you can see Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Powers in the Japanese Art, which I had the honor of co-authoring with the gifted painter Hikari.

Looking ahead, I am thrilled to share that my personal worksโ€”Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings, Woman: Splendor and Sorrow, Haiku and Tanka (co-authored with Hikari), and Jezebelโ€™s Islandโ€”will all be featured on the Times Square billboards in New York City this September!

You can read the full feature in the Summer 2026 issue of P.O.W.E.R. Magazine!

Gabriela Marie Milton – Interview :
Gabriela Marie Milton Interview

Gabriela Marie Milton Lifetime Achievement Award by the Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized (P.O.W.E.R.)

Gabriela Marie Milton
4X #1 Amazonbestseller Author an Founder Of Literary Revelations

Join my 20.6 K followers on X (@shortprose1) and my 35.2 K followers on IG (@gabriela_marie_milton)

My books (Only English)

All listed books will feature on Times Square Billboards in September 2026 including Jezebel’s Island.

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelations)
#1 Amazon Bestseller: Jezebel’s Island: A Psychological and Mystery Thriller (Literary Revelations, 2026)

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 B

Mystery Thrillers and the Publishing Industry

Mystery Thrillers and the Publishing Industry

Yes, Jezebel’s Island made it to #1 Bestseller upon its launch in Japan. I am thrilled and humbled. It is deeply moving to experience the unwavering loyalty and gratitude my Japanese friends show me.  This profound appreciation is rooted in cultural values like Kansha (gratitude) and Omoiyari (thoughtfulness), where every small favor is warmly cherished and reciprocated. Thank you Japan.

I told some Japanese friends not to expect a bestseller from me this time. The reply: You create fabulous anthologies of haiku with hundreds of authors, some Japanese.  You and Hikari made us famous by placing those anthologies in the most prestigious institution in Japan.  We are loyal people. Do not worry: Japan is with you. What can I say? Thank you again.

Why the Competition Is So Intense

Household Dominance: Bestselling giants release book after book, year after year. They occupy the limited physical shelf space in bookstores and dominate the algorithms on digital storefronts, leaving very little oxygen for new voices.

Insatiable but Picky Readers: Thriller fans consume books at an incredible rate, but they are also highly critical. They are deeply loyal to their favorite authors and hesitant to spend time or money on an unproven writer unless the book comes with immense hype.

The publishing industry often demands a predictable formula for thrillersโ€”a fast, linear race to the finish line to catch a readerโ€™s attention on page one. But when I set out to write Jezebel’s Island, I knew I wanted to create something that broke those rules entirely, penetrating a deeper, shadowed lineage of storytelling: the Literature of Enigma.

Breaking into the thriller market is notoriously brutal for a debut novelist because the industry is highly risk-averse. When you refuse to write a paint-by-numbers book, you are already fighting an uphill battle. But when your literary masters are John Fowles, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gabriel Garcรญa Mรกrquez, the challenge doubles. You are no longer writing a detective story or a math problem; you are operating in a world of magical realism, shifting identities, and existential puzzles.

Instead of an instant, uniform chase sequence, Jezebel’s Island first painstakingly constructs a surreal psychological labyrinth. It creates an atmospheric world where the beginning greets you at the very end, and every detail tests the architecture of human consciousness. In a market obsessed with instant gratification, asking readers to sit inside a dream-like mystery before the plot heavily accelerates into a kinetic, explosive conclusion is a massive gamble. Industry gatekeepers love neat boxes, and a slow-burn psychological puzzle that shifts gears so radically at the end often terrifies standard marketers who do not know whether to shelf it as literary fiction, a psychological puzzle, or a crime thriller.

By choosing to write something that is more than a thriller, I knew I was forcing the market to accept an entirely new shape. It required trusting the intelligence of my readers to step into the mist with me and solve the enigma themselves.

To my cherished followers and readers who have walked this journey with me: I humbly ask you to accept this book into your hands and hearts. I did not write it to fit a commercial mold, but to honor the depth of human storytelling and to defend the soul against a sterile existence. Jezebel’s Island: A Psychological and Mystery Thriller is now live on Amazon via Literary Revelations Publishing House. I would be deeply honored if you would step into the labyrinth with me, pick up the keys, and discover what waits on the island.

Gabriela Marie Milton
Author and Founder of Literary Revelations



My books (Only English)

All listed books will feature on Times Square Billboards in September 2026.

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelations)

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 B

The Distortion Engine: How Human Noise is Making AI Increasingly More Wrong

Jezebel’s Island – Front cover – Original Photo Andrei Marin – Cover Designer Iuliana Irimia


Jezebel’s Island: A Phycological and Mystery Thriller

As Jezebelโ€™s Island approaches its launch this July, it stands on a foundational principle that goes far beyond the literary world. While the novel itself exposes the dark anatomy of manipulation by other, non-technological means, its core ethos serves as an urgent warning for our digital age. The simple lesson for the future of humanity is this: Do not rely on any kind of manipulation. Question everything. If we, as humans, fail to do so, we will all inevitably become brainwashed by the very systemsโ€”AI or othersโ€”we are actively feeding.

Today, that warning is most visible in our relationship with Artificial Intelligence. We live in an era that aggressively critiques AI for its “hallucinations,” its biases, and its confidently delivered inaccuracies…

The Distortion Engine: How Human Noise is Making AI Increasingly More Wrong

As Jezebelโ€™s Island approaches its launch this July, it stands on a foundational principle that goes far beyond the literary world. The simple lesson for the future of humanity is this: Do not rely on any kind of manipulation. Question everything. If we, as humans, fail to do so, we will all inevitably become brainwashed by the very systemsโ€”AI or othersโ€”we are feeding.

We live in an era that aggressively critiques Artificial Intelligence for its “hallucinations,” its biases, and its confidently delivered inaccuracies. The internet is flooded with think-pieces blasting the machine for failing to understand reality. Yet, the public often fundamentally misunderstands what kind of technology they are interacting with. We are not dealing with the hyper-precise, deterministic algorithms that guide unmanned drones through commercial airspace or command interplanetary spacecraftโ€”systems governed by the unyielding laws of physics and zero-tolerance engineering.

Instead, consumer and cultural AI operates on probabilistic language models. It is a mirror of our collective digital footprint. It does not generate its worldview from objective reality, but from us. If the mirror reflects a distorted image, it is because the object in front of it is warped.

When an AI model is asked to evaluate objective metrics of cultural prestigeโ€”such as industry awards, marketplace data, or institutional archival historyโ€”it frequently short-circuits. Instead of processing hard, verifiable facts, algorithms regularly bypass reality to favor high-volume, uncurated platforms, attributing their lack of standards to “democratization” or “underground culture.”

This happens because the AI does not possess a mind; it possesses an algorithm. It is not evaluating artistic worthโ€”it is simply tallying frequencies and matching statistical patterns. And right now, the machine is digesting a massive human coping mechanism.

The “Greatness Game”: Blogs and Social Media as Raw Data

Computer scientists have long used the phrase “Garbage In, Garbage Out.” An AI model does not possess critical intuition or human common sense. It cannot analyze a website or an account and say, “Wait, this is just empty marketing hype.” Instead, it operates on a raw mathematical principle: repetition equals truth.

In the modern digital landscape, the barrier to entry has completely vanished, giving rise to a highly coordinated online game played by creators regardless of the actual quality of their work. The rules of the game are simple:

Player One posts a piece of work. Player Two leaves a comment saying, “You are a genius, this is world-class!” In return, Player Two posts something, and Player One replies, “Incredible, an absolute masterpiece!”

Neither player is evaluating artistic merit or craftsmanship; they are trading compliments like currency. Individually, it is just harmless vanity. But collectively, it becomes digitally toxic.

By playing this back-and-forth game of praise across social media networks, forums, and blogs, Player One and Player Two are actively teaching the AI that they are both historic figures. Every hyped-up biography, every superficial comment, and every frantic tweet claiming unverified success becomes the food that trains the algorithm. When the internet repeats a distortion ten million times, the AIโ€™s data matrix calculates that frequency as genuine  significance.

The “Noise-to-Signal” Trap

Because the algorithm is built on statistical probability, it is highly vulnerable to this specific “noise-to-signal” imbalance:

The AI’s web crawlers ingest both, but math naturally favors volume over value. It mistakes loudness for excellence.

Furthermore, the machine frequently weaponizes buzzwords like “democratization” to penalize actual, high-art curation. Because it has digested thousands of articles equating an “unfiltered open-mic aesthetic” with inclusivity, the AI’s flawed logic assumes that any polished, highly curated space must be exclusionary. The Verdict: Humanity is Polishing a Broken Mirror

If creators, platforms, and commentators spend all their energy feeding the digital ecosystem questionable achievements, vanity metrics, and loud, empty noise to “game the algorithm,” the machine will become permanently detached from real-world excellence.

The AI hasn’t failed on its own. We broke it.

Humanity is actively polluting its own information well. We are feeding the future of human knowledge a steady diet of inflated egos and digital smoke, and then we wonder why it cannot recognize the solid architecture of real achievement. If we do not change how we construct our digital footprints, we will inherit an AI that is permanently, confidently, and increasingly more wrong.

A Call for Digital Integrity

The solution to a delusional algorithm does not lie in complex code, but in basic human integrity. Every user, reader, and creator is a data contributor shaping the collective intellect of tomorrow. We must stop treating social platforms as playgrounds for hyperinflation and start treating them as platforms for excellence.

Be authentic. If you genuinely like a piece of work, give it a like or a comment. If you do not, don’t do it. Do not participate in the superficial trade of unearned flattery just to manipulate visibility. In this way, we keep the data clean and prevent the algorithm from collapsing into an echo chamber of artificial praise. Do not add misinformation to the digital ecosystem. Do not inflate awards, rankings, or metrics to build a phantom legacy. Prove everything.

Thank you for reading!

Gabriela Marie Milton,
Author and Founder of Literary Revelations
Woman of the Month (May, 2026), at P.O.W.E.R Magazine
One of the 60th Womenโ€™s Entrepreneurs to Watch for in 2026, New York Weekly

My books (Only English)

All listed books will feature on Times Square Billboards in September 2026.

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelations)

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 B

Jezebel’s Island: A Mystery Thriller by Gabriela Marie Milton – Excerpt 2

My dear followers and subscribers,

Happy weekend! Today I would like to share with you another excerpt from my upcoming novel Jezebel’s Island: A Mystery Thriller. Literary Revelations plans to release this novel at the end of June. Thank you for reading.


Jezebel’s Island: A Mystery Thriller by Gabriela Marie Milton – Excerpt 2

– In this part of the Island, Anastasia, they have not limited our freedom of movement at all. Only our freedom of thought. And what time is there for free thought anyway? One has so much to do. So many brands of bags and socks to choose from. Here everyone thinks they live their own lives as they please, without realizing that in reality they live only what they are allowed to live.

In the living room, Anastasiaโ€™s gaze fell on a photo. She paused for a moment, staring blankly. A heavy, golden frame held a photo of a young man, wearing a white T-shirt with vertical green stripes, Polo brand. Anastasia had been to Jezebel’s house several times, but she had never seen that picture before. Behind him, she could see a field where three golf cars had been abandoned. The photo had been placed on a lemon-yellow wooden console, near which one had to pass to get to the other rooms of the house. It was impossible not to have noticed that picture.

She shivered, feeling like a piece of ice was running down her back, and experienced again that cloudy feeling, still incomprehensible, about Jezebel.

From the foreword

….The question remains: Why Anastasia, this young woman saddled with so great a name? Why has she become the obsession of two figures of the ruling class? Perhaps because her passivity and incuriosity have not brought her into solidarity with her fellow citizens, who share her discontent, but rather have made her an ideal vessel for the plans of the elite.

But what plans? Yet another mystery. There must be, the reader thinks, more to Lady Swartley, more even to Jezebel, who is already so much. And what about the servant Armando, who seems to be much more than a servant, or the archaeologist Esteban, whose presence almost seems to bait and tease Anastasia along some path occluded to all others?

Brian Geiger, Former Editor Vita Brevis Press

Follow me for more updates on Jezebel’s Island.

IG @gabriela_marie_milton and on X @shortprose1

My books (Only English)

#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelation)

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 B

In the Beginning – Poetic Prose – Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton


I am therefore I write

Gabriela Marie Milton

In the Beginning – Poetic Prose – Poem by Gabriela Marie Milton

In the beginning, the sky was dark, swollen with braided longings. The  earth lay beneath it, clothed in smiling flowers and the slow breath of gods. Petals parted like whispered confessions, damp with promises. Desire had no name.

On that day, I bent and chose one bloom. My fingers lingered,. At the first trembling touch love burst from the ground.

 The earth arched upward, aching, rising to meet the weight of the sky. Roots tightened, winds sighed, and the night thickened with roses and heavy steps. Your name became the name of desire spoken by birds.

The second day of creation started.

Gods of my many worlds, I beg your forgiveness.


Featured Art: Shutterstock


A thought and some reminder

I was asked in an interview how I write “lush poetry” and “haiku”, such different poetic genres. The answer is I do not know. I just can. I leave the beauty of both genres raining over me. I became one with my writings.

Please do not forget our fabulous Artist in Residence, Hikari, and me published Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony, and Power in Japanese Art.

Delight yourself in its pages.


Call for Submission from Literary Revelations

Literary Revelations is thrilled to announce an open call for submissions for our upcoming anthology, Haiku for Soulmates. Whether you have a soulmate and wish to celebrate your connection, or you dream of finding one, we invite you to share your poetic voice. If you have a soulmate, please compose five haiku for him or her. If you do not, let your imagination shape five haiku that describe the soulmate you hope to meet.

To participate, please submit your five haiku to literaryrevelations@pm.me and clearly label your email subject as Haiku for Soulmates. Please note that unlabeled submissions may be misplaced and not read. The submission deadline is February 25. Your five haiku will be accepted or rejected as a block.


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)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelation)

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 B

Haiku for Soulmates โ€“ Call for Submissions for a New Anthology by Literary Revelations

Dear followers and subscribers,

Literary Revelations is thrilled to announce an open call for submissions for our upcoming anthology, Haiku for Soulmates. Whether you have a soulmate and wish to celebrate your connection, or you dream of finding one, we invite you to share your poetic voice. If you have a soulmate, please compose five haiku for him or her. If you do not, let your imagination shape five haiku that describe the soulmate you hope to meet.

To participate, please submit your five haiku to literaryrevelations@pm.me and clearly label your email subject as Haiku for Soulmates. Please note that unlabeled submissions may be misplaced and not read. The submission deadline is February 25. Your five haiku will be accepted or rejected as a block.

Grace the pages of our forthcoming anthology with your fantastic writing. The cover art will feature the work of our fabulous Artist in Residence, Japanese painter Hikari. We look forward to receiving your beautiful haiku and celebrating the magic of soulmates together.

Before you submit, please visit our website on the about page โ€“ terms and conditions.

We are looking forward to your submissions!

Thank you and have a wonderful week

Gabriela Marie Milton
Founder and Editor-in-Chief


My books (Only English)


#1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis)
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
|
#1 Amazon bestseller, Haiku and Tanka: Lull, Harmony and Power in Japanese Art – co-authored with Hikari (Literary Revelation)

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 B

From Woman: Splendor and Sorrow – Who Am I?, a poetic prose by Gabriela Marie Milton

POETIC PROSE BY GABRIELA MARIE MILTON

John William Waterhouse – public domain


Who Am I? published first by Shabd Aaweg and republished in my book Woman: Splendor and Sorrow :I Love Poems and Poetic Prose.

For five times in twenty-four hours, I face in the direction of the sea.

The first time the morning star floats above the water as innocent as the breast of a young girl.  Soon the sun will try to catch her naked and burn her skin. She will escape. Pigeons will carry her across the sea. She will melt into yellow waters. Her last rays will fall in my lap like feathers.

I will rejoice.

The second time, divorced from her night bed, the light disperses itself on the shore. I can see myself washing clothes in the sea. My hair is tied in a ponytail. I am barefoot, and my dress is rolled up. The skin of my lips is cracked. I bleed. The clothes I wash smell cedar and spices. The shadow of a seagull positions itself on my forehead. The sea reflects the twelve signs of the zodiac. I can see no relationship between my destiny and that which I do. I am scared.  

At noon, the sun kneads the waters with rapture. Shells shed pearls on the shore. My own rational thought leaves my body. I delight in the waves like a gazelle in the grasslands. I feel the movement of the water on my skin. Its cyclical quality sends me into a state of ecstasy. No, it is not the ecstasy of Saint Teresa of รvila. It is something similar to a soporific trance. I am dead, and I am alive at the same time. I come from the sea. I return to the sea.

In the afternoon, my rational self awakens. My mind spreads its wings. I get preoccupied with verbs. I set one triangle in the normal position, and I invert the other one. I bind them together. I make myself a dress from pieces of paper inscribed with old symbols. Oh, femininity! You are the goddess of vines, the mother earth, the chalice, the blood, the fertility of the womb. I mull over these desperate efforts to equalize the feminine with the masculine. There is nothing in these symbols that points to the intellect of a woman.

In the evening, the sky stretches itself from blue to dark violet. The silk of the gloves hugs my fingers. I feed my iguana with cookies soaked in champagne. She hisses at me. I open a package of silk stockings. The door opens by itself. You step in. I stare at you. You are in by your own volition.  One kiss and you borrow my tears. One touch, and I borrow your pain. A passage rite. I keep a coffin adorned with lilies in my bedroom. I sleep besides death like Sarah Bernhardt.

Did you hear that noise? A rosary fell from the Spanish chest.

The wind slips between the petals of a rose and opens it.

Who am I? If I knew, I would tell you.

Did you say you love me? The twenty-four hours are up. Nobody is facing in the direction of the sea anymore.

There is no me.


NEWS

Now, more news about Literary Revelations and Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku.

As I write, Tranquility is currently the #1 top release in the US and the most gifted book in Japan.

Literary Revelations is deeply grateful to everyone who bought the book. That helped us to donate to several charities.

You can get the book here:


Literary Revelations and Victoria Onofrei of Bloomsbury Radio (Victoria in Verse Show), UK, will organize a Poetry Festival on Sunday, May 18, 2025 – 5pm London time. The festival will take place via Zoom.

All contributors will be invited, as well as, those who are not contributors but bought the book.

I will come back very soon with more details. Please follow us at Literary Revelations https://literaryrevelations.com/, @gabriela_marie_milton and @lr_publishers.

Thank 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:

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

Christina Schwarz, the author of the New York Times Bestseller โ€œDrowning Ruth.”