Sharon Olds, a prominent American poet born in 1942, grew up in California and pursued her education at Stanford University. However, she has spent a significant portion of her adult life in the vibrant cultural landscape of New York City. Initially, Olds found herself influenced by the works of established poets such as Gary Snyder and George Oppen. Yet, she resolved to carve out her own unique voice, liberating herself from the shadows of these literary giants.
The culmination of her efforts was evident in her debut poetry collection, Satan Says, published in 1980. This was followed by an impressive array of award-winning collections, including The Dead and the Living (1984). A great entry point into her remarkable oeuvre is The Sign of Saturn, a 1991 selection of her early work. Michael Ondaatje, renowned author of The English Patient, aptly captured the essence of Olds’ poetry when he described it as ‘pure fire in the hands.’
Olds herself encapsulates the essence of her work in one of her poems, stating that it revolves around ‘paying attention to small beauties.’ Yet, her poetry is unflinching in its confrontation with the ghosts of her childhood and the darker facets of history. Her journey of liberation also involved breaking free from societal constraints that dictated what women could achieve and become, infusing her work with a sense of glorious rebellion.
While selecting the ten ‘best’ poems from such a prolific and significant poet is inherently subjective, we have endeavored to highlight ten of Sharon Olds’ most powerful and widely acclaimed poems, each showcasing her unique voice and thematic depth.
- 1. ‘Satan Says’: This clever and subversive poem serves as the title piece from Olds’ debut collection. It challenges traditional religious perspectives on femininity and sexuality, presenting a feminist reinterpretation of Eve in the Garden of Eden, where she is coaxed by Satan, in the guise of a snake, to curse her parents and beyond. (Warning: contains strong language!)
- 2. ‘I Go Back to May 1937’: A hallmark of Olds’ repertoire, this poem reflects on the year her parents met, five years before her own birth. Aware of the turmoil that would later unfold in their marriage and its impact on her childhood, she wishes to intervene, urging them to reconsider their union. Ultimately, she refrains from speaking, recognizing that their relationship is the very foundation of her existence, and finds solace in the ability to articulate her story through poetry.
- 3. ‘The Language of the Brag’: This classic piece from her debut collection addresses notable male American poets like Walt Whitman and Allen Ginsberg, asserting her desire to pursue ‘what you wanted to do’ and find ‘some epic use’ for her body. In a way, Olds presents her poem as a female counterpart to Whitman’s celebrated ‘I Sing the Body Electric.’
- 4. ‘True Love’: Olds is celebrated as one of the finest love poets of the last fifty years. This poem, in particular, captures the essence of love and sexuality through a long, breathless sentence that describes two individuals interconnected by friendship, stating, ‘I know where you are / with my eyes closed,’ illustrating their bond through ‘huge invisible threads.’
- 5. ‘Rite of Passage’: In this poem, Olds masterfully captures a seemingly ordinary scene at her young son’s birthday party, revealing the darker undercurrents that she can already perceive. Yet, the poem is infused with a sense of grim humor, as her seven-year-old son boasts to his friends about their capability to overpower a two-year-old, highlighting the bravado of young boys as they navigate the complexities of growing up.
- 6. ‘To You, from Your Secret Admirer’: This poem starts by addressing a lover but quickly subverts expectations with the title indicating a ‘secret admirer.’ The speaker engages in an internal dialogue, imagining the words she would convey to her beloved after their romantic encounter. However, the nature of her feelings leans more towards lust entwined with a hint of obsession, as the poem unfolds.
- 7. ‘After Making Love in Winter’: The title of this poignant poem encapsulates its essence—after the warmth of intimacy in the cold depths of winter, the speaker feels the chill yet acknowledges the warmth where ‘our bodies touch like / blooms of fire.’
- 8. ‘The Planned Child’: For many, discovering that they were an ‘accident’ might be disheartening. In contrast, this poem reflects on the speaker’s realization that her conception was deliberate and methodical, which initially unsettles her. However, a comment from her partner, suggesting that it was evident she was a ‘wanted’ child, shifts her perspective, allowing her to recognize her mother’s deep need for her in life.
- 9. ‘Mother’: In this poem, Olds delves into her relationship with her devout mother, who was influenced by ‘three fathers’: her own, her husband, and God the Father. Yet, the poet honors her mother as a ‘Druid mother,’ celebrating her connection to the natural world and the earth’s cycles.
- 10. ‘His Stillness’: This moving poem recounts the moment Olds’ father received the news of his terminal illness. Contrary to her expectations, he remained composed and still, resembling ‘a holy man’ with ‘the dignity of a foreign leader.’ The poem poignantly explores the realization that she had not truly known her father until that moment, reflecting on the dignity he embodied in his final moments.
These selections represent just a glimpse into the remarkable body of work produced by Sharon Olds. Her poetry is characterized by profound emotional depth and a remarkable ability to navigate complex themes while illuminating the ‘small beauties’ that permeate our lives.