Poet and Author Kim B. Miller Touchs Hearts and Minds
We are excited to feature our first poet, author, spoken word performer, and teacher. This week’s featured artist is the acclaimed Kim B. Miller! She is a native New Yorker, but currently resides in Dumfries, VA. She works as a substitute teacher for Prince William County and as an instructor at Poetry Behind Bars for Women Inmates in Maryland. She believes all young minds can be expanded through writing and poetry. She’s also a poetry specialist at DC Scores assisting elementary, middle, and high students in Washington, DC.
Miller is a published author of several books including “Christ Gave Me This Pen so I Have to Write the Truth” and “Poetically Inking: Just Me, My Pen, and the Mic.” In addition, Miller has a CD of spoke word poetry entitled “My Poetry is Portable, but the Truth Doesn’t Move.” She is featured in “The Ultimate Guide to Self-Healing Vol. 2” by Laura Di Franco published in July 2020. Miller started her T-shirt line in 2018 that features her haikus and other poetry quotes. You can shop them here.
In 2019, she was awared the Southern Fried Poetry Haiku Champion. She was a finalist in Day Eight DC Poet Project Contest in 2019. In 2018, Miller won the Black Poetry Cafe Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is slam championship. From 2014-2016, Miller was a featured poet at The National Black Theatre in New York.
Kim B. Miller has been featured in or hosted numerous events. Just to list a few: she was a featued Poetic Speaker at The Town of Dumfries Black History Program in 2019 and 2020. Miller was a motivational speaker at The Heritage Village Project Showcase in Dumfries in 2017 and 2019. She also performed poetry in conjuction with Day Eight for hundreds of DC students this year.
Miller hopes her poetry and performances can touch people’s hearts, minds, and souls. She has selected three poems to share:
Traditional Haiku
A flower blinked once.
Then a tear rolled down its stem.
Dying in a vase.
Non-Traditional Haiku
Let’s speak truth. Some of
you were a virus before
Corona came out.
Poem called The Black Crayon
I wonder if the black crayon knows it was never meant to color
I wonder if the black crayon knows how it is pronounced in Spanish and treated in English
I wonder if the black crayon knows it was never meant to be colored with, only used
I wonder if the black crayon knows it is hated
I wonder if it knows it must stay in the corner of the box
Segregated from the better colors
Since it’s too dark
Pigmentation challenged
Treated like a leaper
Told to go back to the factory even thought it was brought in the box
Manipulated into believing its’ problems are only caused by its color
Looked at for problems but not solutions
Roasted like charcoal and blamed for the fire
I wonder if the black crayon knows if it broke
It would be blamed for being broken
I wonder if the black crayon knows if it could not color anymore
It would still be called colored or lack with a b in front of it (black)
If it was used
It would be drawing something ugly
If it was discarded, it would be blamed for being un-useful
I wonder if the black crayon knows that the other crayons were assumed to be better
I wonder if crayons cry
When you draw black tears
They are just called periods
Because sentences are syllable-zed weapons that end with a black dot
I wonder if black crayons ever compare war stories with black pens
I wonder if a crayon can draw its own pain
With no paper willing to accept the weight of its thoughts
What are black crayons supposed to draw
This box is so small
Black crayons smell freedom each time the box is opened
I wonder if they know they live in a coffin
They draw whole or it pieces
They draw life and defy death
They find light in darkness
They bleed inside that box
Even when selected the black crayon knows it’s only temporary air
After all coffins are not made to be empty.
We are so proud to have such a successful local poety who dedicates her time to teaching others about her passion. We look forward to seeing more of Kim B. Miller’s performances in the community. If you would like to learn more about Kim B. Miller, her poetry, buy a t-shirt, or watch a performance you can reach her at:
All Social Medias: @iamkimbmiller
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jk5nLVrcAw
Online Store: https://kim-b-miller.myshopify.com/
My Amazon Author’s page: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-B.-Miller/e/B00E7I7T0U
