The beautiful woman on the book cover was what initially grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, I did not love Blue Bird as much as I hoped to. I actually have a lot of mixed feelings about the collection, which is largely due to the inconsistency in writing and quality. There were a number of poems that really spoke to me and that allowed me to contemplate existing issues, but there were also a handful of pieces that came off as odd or sloppy writing.

What I appreciated the most about Blue Bird was that it is a loud, no-holds-barred celebration of diversity, especially for black women. It is blunt, raw, and unapologetic. Magda Ayuk writes about not only feeling comfortable in her own skin, but also, and perhaps more importantly, being proud of her heritage. She also writes about self-image, self-love, and numerous introspective topics with defiance, fierceness, and sincerity. In addition to this, this book touched on sensitive yet extremely important topics, such as racism and systemic oppression, although it is more greatly inspired by lighter themes, such as positivity, freedom, and acceptance.

My problems with Blue Bird mainly involved writing technicalities (e.g. style, structure, use of language), lacking poetic devices, and a couple of inconsistencies. Despite this, I believe that a number of people would be able to really identify with Magda Ayuk’s pieces, and on a larger note, her journey as a black woman. Her voice as a poet is refreshingly quirky, unapologetically blunt, and noticeably modern. She exhibits a ton of potential as a poet, and I can only hope that her succeeding poetry books will be more enjoyable.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Blue Bird from the author (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Magda Ayuk!