Jim Wayne Miller’s The Brier Poems, published posthumously, is a selection of poetry from The Mountains Have Come Closer (where the Brier figure first emerged) and Brier, His Book, along with additional poems not published in previous volumes. It celebrates the Appalachian region and its people through “The Brier,” the enlightened Appalachian who laments what is happening to the world that nurtured him. Through vivid imagery and rich language, Miller explores themes of identity and tradition and the connection between the land and its inhabitants. The poems capture the spirit and resilience of Appalachian culture, blending personal reflection with social commentary. Miller’s work highlights the beauty and complexity of life in the mountains, offering a voice to the often-overlooked experiences of rural Appalachia.

Jim Wayne Miller (1936–1996), a native of the mountain country of North Carolina, was a professor of German language and literature at Western Kentucky University for thirty-three years. He served as a consultant to Appalachian studies programs in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio and was a visiting professor of Appalachian studies at what is now the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center at Berea College. He received multiple awards, and his books include Copperhead Cane; Dialogue with a Dead Man; The Mountains Have Come Closer; Vein of Words; Nostalgia for 70; Brier, His Book; Newfound; and His First, Best Country.