Blues in Black and White: A Collection of Essays, Poetry and Conversations

The ever-engaging work of the controversial Afro-German activist/writer, MayAyim, covers a fascinating range of themes: biography, politics, love as well as the absurdities of everyday life. Her unique ability to passionately transformdiverse subject matters into poetic language is revealed in this important collection of translated pieces. Her play with language is effective and at times transformative, as it expresses and exposes dangerous stereotypes and messages hiddenin the everyday use oflanguage and human behavior. Here, her readers will be surprised and frequentlyconfronted with Ayim’s keen and powerful observationsof the complexities of life and the compelling richness of humor and irony within them.”These poems [have] passion and irony and always a strong magnetic force…for even her humor, her playing with words and her punch lines never veil the strength of her protest against racism, sexism, and all the other isms that add sadness to our society. In May’s voice, I found the echo of other sounds fromthe diaspora. Her unrestrainedness, her humor and lyric expressiveness equal those of Lion-Gontron Damas, one of the fathers of Negritude….An extraordinary voice.Unique and already in the hearts of all of us that are persecuted and fullof thirst.”

–Maryse Condi, from the introduction to the German edition.