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Wayne "Box" Miller
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Soft lights, a bottle of Crown Royal, the single curl of smoke wafting from a burning stick of incense and maybe Barry White on the stereo. These are but the aural and visceral equivalents -- and necessary accompaniments -- to the poetry of Wayne "Box" Miller.
Readers need only browse the acknowledgment page of Miller's first tome of poetry, From the Soul of a Man: A Romantic Journey, for a clue into Miller's poetic philosophy. It is a basic one: It should be simple, rhythmic and yes, catchy.
"Old school" is how Miller, a Maysville, Ky., native and Cincinnati resident, describes his poetic output. Think William "Smokey" Robinson and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, two prolific songwriters Miller deems the greatest influences on what he attempts to convey through his poetic verse.
"I'm just a real person. I'm real down-to-earth, candid. I try to be as self-assured as possible," he says. "Each day I try to be more positive than the day before and more spiritual."
Further still, the words found in the prefatory pages are a look into the dichotomy of Miller's lifestyle and how he came to reveal himself to the world as a poet. He thanks various friends for encouraging him to do it, and for "discovering my talent at a level that I thought was above me." All this would seem melodramatic if it were not for Miller's day job.
Around town he is well-known -- some even might say notorious -- as a sports marketing agent who develops endorsement deals, public appearances and public relations with Eric Davis, Deion Sanders, Jeff Blake and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes. A love of writing poetry and a new jack hustler of sports and celebrity figures? Whoa!
Despite the recommendations to the contrary found in reference books filling the shelves of publishing sections in bookstores, Miller believes there's a market for his brand of poetry.
Miller, 43, cringes at the thought of abstract poetry. So his -- with its simplistic and predictable rhyme schemes and snapshots of love discovered, shared and lost -- falls somewhere between "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" and niche-marketed Hallmark moments aimed squarely at African-American lovers.
"I like the simple, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow, rhythmic approach to writing," Miller says. "My thing is, I try to keep it simple. You can relate to it; it's got a rhythm to it.
"If you come home from work and pour some Crown (Royal), and put on some Jazz and open my book, it'll help you get there."
Sample this from "That's When I'll Stop Loving You:" "When rain stands still/When valleys sit on a hill/When a dollar is no longer a bill/That's when I'll stop lovin' you."
Miller calls the self-published book not only a testament to his many facets, but also proof that black men can express themselves without fear of self-emasculation. Generally speaking, black men have, for years, kept their emotions on lock down "because of the association with weakness," Miller explains.
"In my father's or grandfather's generation, it was something you just didn't do. For men, our fathers were hard-core, so we're in a generation when things are starting to change.
"Women nowadays expect more from a man," Miller continues. "We expect more patience and understanding, and women expect more dialogue."
For local writers with aspirations of bringing their own work to print, Miller says they should expect to spend money in exchange for a package of professional caliber, come up against unexpected delays and be detail-oriented.
As for the eye-catching front and back covers, complete with full-color photos and blurbs, Miller says, "I made a commitment to spend money on the cover. I knew if I was going to try to get in bookstores, I was going to have to have packaging," says Miller, who has a bachelor's degree in communication from Kentucky's Morehead State University and marketing experience.
Including cover art, contracted editing services and registration fees for an International Standard Book Number, Miller says authors can anticipate spending $1,500 to $2,000 for a first-run of 500 copies.
Ultimately, his perseverance paid off. He's sold out his first run and reordered copies. Depending on your romantic station and experience, From the Soul of a Man: A Romantic Journey could make you laugh or cry.
Either way, it's a trip.
