I very much like the idea of this poetry collection. The concept seemed interesting and the poem titles (though long) are cute and clever. That is really the extent of my enjoyment with this project. I found the poems to be disjointed and many of them were vague to the point of confusion. “I’m Not Like the King of Black People,” and “America This is for You (Audition Tape Take 2,” will likely go over well with most readers, as the point is very clear and in a lot of ways, quite clever. Likewise, I see what Morgan Parker was attempting to do with poems like, “Real Housewife Considers Feminist Theory While Sketching Designs for Her Handbag Line,” and “Poem Made of Empty Prescription Bottles from the Garbage in Front of Bill Murray’s House;” and I like it, unfortunately, I think she missed the mark as it relates to execution.

Morgan Parker is a gifted poet and once-in-a-lifetime talent. Hope to get more fiction from her soon.

Thought provoking and heartfelt this is a great collection of poetry on various topics. Parker's use of literary tools and language is beautiful and captivating. Parker's voice is powerful and her poetic is relatable. I think fans of poetry will enjoy this one.

Simply put, this book turned me into a poetry reader. Wow. No matter who you are, I think this collection is worth giving a try. I am truly blown away.

Other People’s Comfort Keeps Me Up at Night by Morgan Parker was re-released this July. I missed its first printing, but this time around I was blessed with a copy via Netglley. Morgan’s writing makes it easy to see why it’s a modern-day classic.

Her poetry paints pictures that breathe new life into the ordinary. Her words lead you down unexpectedly profound paths. Overall, Morgan Parker’s work provides readers with a refreshing experience, and I would gladly recommend her book—especially to other Black women.

"Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night" is such a resonant title for me. And that's really all I needed--I think all of Morgan Parker's titles are actually some of my favorites. They all have this very "I'm here" energy and its all imparts the volume and power that is in Parker's voice. Like she is funny, dope, and evocative and has this open honest way about her work that constantly has me nodding and going yeah I get it. As a Black person, there are just poems where I'm like chuckling to myself going chill stop that experience is too relatable. But it works. And I love it. I love being able to pick up Parker's collections and dive into them and resonate. And if not resonate, just sort of sit with the sheer electric that she puts into her words. She is truly an amazing poet. I am always into what she puts into the world. I could go into deep analysis of her works, but they speak for themselves. Her work speaks with a vibration that just echoes through the body to me. I can't wait for more.

I was so happy that I was selected to review a reprinted edition of Morgan Parker's debut poetry collection Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up at Night. A couple of year's ago, I read and enjoyed Parker's more recent collection. There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé. In both this and that collection, Morgan Parker shares in powerful poems what it means to be a Black woman in modern society, with observations about everything from reality TV to texting. As a bit of reality show junkie, I loved the ones about reality TV. Too real.

I highly recommend this collection, even if you aren't a big poetry fan. :)

Parker does an excellent job making her poetry enriched with emotions and feeling. I hope to see more from this author.

Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up at Night is a collection that launched the career of young poet Morgan Parker. Is it hilarious? At times. Hard-hitting? It can be. Personal and political? Yes. And it is a definitely a collection of poems with truths that deliver. Morgan Parker got in the zone with this debut collection. Well done!

Happy Re-Pub Day, Morgan Parker! Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up at Night is now available.

~LiteraryMarie

YOUNG, SASSY, AND BLACK
I use these words to distract you

Morgan Parker’s, Other People’s Comfort Keep Me Up At Night is her debut collection of poetry that is everything contemporary, insightful, and commanding. Here, in this reissue, Parker highlights several previously published pieces that for me do not disappointment.

There are poems that are lyrical, thoughtful, and explore grief and anxiety. There are also those that are light, reflective and utterly HUMOROUS.

I have become a true fan of Parker’s collections and look forward to her future work.

Morgan Parker’s reissued poetry collection 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 is definitely one that stimulates and disturbs your sense of moral clarity about the world that betrays us all. Back in print, this collection reminds of us how raw, gutter, and visceral Parker’s poems pierce through our psyches and literally shows us the things we are afraid to finally see. These poems take us on a carousel of emotions—depending on the ride—you may need to get off sooner than others. It really just depends on your comfort level.

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 is not an easy read for me. I struggled here immensely trying to disentangle its abstract and encumbered language--often rereading two to three times and reading aloud. While each poem was not that way, I did find pleasure in her elaborate and skilled metaphors, dark humor, critiques on race and politics, and sharp authority on pop culture. I enjoyed three poems specifically because they showcase her raw and real “straight no-chaser” personality:

⭐️ “Miss Black America”
⭐️ “Young, Sassy, and Black”
⭐️ “Their Grandmothers Never Did the Laundry”

Perhaps, I could also find some growth or difference in her other collections 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 or 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼 that would appeal to my preferred poetic styles. Nonetheless, there are some beautiful gems here for readers that require either joy/entertainment or a salve to their suffering.

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 is out today. Please pick up a copy and stay up all night reading. Thanks @tin_house for my review copy!

I'm a fan of Morgan Parker's work but hadn't read her debut collection. I really enjoyed this repub, especially with the introduction from Danez Smith! Parker's poetry is so precise and visceral; every phrase has so much to explore. I especially love the way she integrates pop culture and uses contemporary media as a lens to view herself. This is great work by an artist changing the landscape of poetry.

This was a good read. The poetry was different for me but that’s what I really liked and enjoyed. I would describe the poverty to be eclectic and touching. It was filled with a lot of emotion.

Parker just gets better and better with each collection. The imagery, metaphors, and personification weaved throughout this body of work was mesmerizing and enchanting. Parker is sharp tongued and unapologetic as she pens about love, Blackness, and other people’s comfort with said Blackness, womanhood, and herself in general. This is by far Parker’s best collection. It is real, honest, thought-provoking, and hard hitting. My favorite poems were the collective piece called “Miss Black America” scattered throughout the collection & “the title poem “Other People’s Comforts Keep Me Up at Night”. This is a collection you want on your shelves! Parker delivers!

I would recommend this poetry collection to fans of Danez Smith, Jasmine Mans, or Hanif Abdurraqib.

Morgan Parker’s writing is so raw and visceral and thematically jarring, i cannot help but be blown away. With lines like “we are examples of paper” and “what is off-key will wake me up in the morning” this is one of my favorite poetry collections.

So many people don’t even know how lucky they are yet that Morgan Parker’s debut collection is getting re-released. Other People’s Comfort hits just as hard as it did my first read six years ago & Danez Smith’s intro is moving & loving & validating. Order two copies so you always have one to give away - I know I will. Thank you to Tin House & Netgalley for the ARC.

I love this poetry collection and I'm so excited that it's back in print! No one else can do what Morgan Parker does.

God, this HURT. It's a beautiful collection, especially for a debut. It's thought-provoking and deeply emotional; really just insanely moving.

This did not do much for me. There were excellent passages but as a whole it felt frenetic and often jumbled, a very free stream-of-consciousness output but one that is unfocused and that collapses under the author's very large assumptions of reader understanding. To me this feels like a book for the writer rather than a book meant to be read by others; work that is cathartic but not resonant with external thought.

Morgan Parker's Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night is being reprinted! This is the first collection of the author's. Her other notable works are There are More Beautiful Things than Beyoncé and Magical Negro. This version has a new forward by Danez Smith, where he sings nothing but well-deserved, high praises of Parker.

Stylistically, these poems have a flow to them as the poet draws inspiration from rappers such as Jay-Z. At the heart of the poems are the trappings of a young Black girl navigating space with a slew of millennial pop culture references. These poems are as fun as they are breathtaking. An incredibly impressive set of debut poems that I'm so glad is going out into the world again.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Tin House Publishing. I am giving this review voluntarily.