An Insult to Sharon Olds

Everyone who loves poetry should read “The Los Angeles Times Insults Iconic Poet Sharon Olds.” In this latest installment of Not Knowing How, Lisa Locascio Nighthawk calls out the Times for its slimy, misogynist invocation of Olds’s writing in a piece about her son’s criminal defense. “Gone are the accolades, the years of work with students, the ordinary domestic joys and sorrows described exactly,” she writes. The piece not only raises the alarm about this specific piece but also warns of a cultural shift towards anti-intellectualism and anti-feminism. De plus, it contains rich memories of visiting Olds at her apartment and two favorites of her poetic oeuvre.