John Olson may refer to:
John Olson is a forger associated with the FBI's Operation Bullpen investigation. He would plead guilty to forging thousands of Muhammad Ali and various other autographs. The FBI gathered information on the ring during a previous sting known as operation FOUL BALL. They launched the investigation that would ultimately culminate with the bust October 13, 1999. They took down the biggest forgery ring in sports memorabilia history.Chuck Wepner, a former sparring partner of Ali and tough man boxer from Bayonne, New Jersey, would vouch for the autographs and John Olson and others would sign the items.
In 2013 John Olson resurfaced selling more forgeries to a local New Jersey man under the guise of being a sick and dying man selling memorabilia. He perpetrated the scam by showing a photo album that had him up close and personal with many of the boxers and athletes that he did the forgeries of.
John Olson (born August 23, 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American poet and novelist. Olson has lived for many years in Seattle, Washington. He has published nine collections of poetry and three novels, including Souls of Wind, nominated for the 2008 Believer Book Award. In 2004, Seattle’s weekly newspaper, The Stranger, for whom he has written occasional essays, gave Olson one of its annual "genius awards." His writing notebooks have been exhibited at the University of Washington. Olson's prose poetry has been reviewed in print and online poetry magazines. The poet Philip Lamantia said that Olson was "extraordinary...the greatest prose poetry [i've] ever read." and Clayton Eshleman said "he is writing the most outlandish, strange, and inventive prose poetry ever in the history of the prose poem."
Poetry
It looks just like an old man and his old wife
Havin’ lunch in the food court at the mall
He stumbles twice, she holds on tight
And he’s embarrassed cuz he almost falls
It looks just like the sad end of a long life
But that ain’t it at all
What it really is is a boy home from world war two
One leg pinned up on his uniform
Tryin’ not to cry as he spit shines one black shoe
Scared she won’t love him anymore
What it really is is the smile on her pretty young face
As he crutches down the gang plank and that kiss
That’s burned from that day to this
That’s what it really is
It looks just like a small town around twilight
And a couple pushin’ a stroller up the street
They stop a while and the neighbors smile
At the baby’s pretty little hands and feet
It looks just like just another brand new life
But that picture ain’t complete
Cuz what it really is is one expert after another
Breakin’ their hearts month after month
Tellin’ her that she will never be a mother
And him that he will never hold a son
And what it really is is a waiting room and tears of joy
As he walks in with a little boy all his
His finger wrapped in a tiny little fist
That’s what it really is
So much of what this life can be
All depends on what you see
It looks just like a long line of headlights
Rolling slowly down a rainy country road
A small casket white, a cold, windy graveside
And a family with such a heavy load
It looks just like the sad end of a short life
But the truth be told
What it really is is the first breath she’s ever taken
That made her feel like she could fly
The grey skies above and the chains finally breakin’
And tellin’ the pain goodbye
What it really is is running to her Savior’s side
In a body glorified in bliss
As she slips her little hand into His