Super Short Summary

The Father by Sharon Olds is a collection of over sixty poems that depict the speaker's experience of observing her father's illness and eventual death, reflecting on their complex relationship. The poems journey from the onset of her father's illness in "The Waiting," through intimate moments such as in "Nullipara" and "The Picture I Want," to contemplations on mortality, ultimately concluding with profound reflections on grief and legacy. The text references an abusive familial relationship.