“A Cormorant of Libraries”: The Future-Past of Susan Howe’s “Melville’s Marginalia”

In his influential essay “The Translator as the Creator of Canon,” Jerzy Jarniewicz outlines characteristics what he identifies “but two most interesting species” translator, ambassador and legislator. Building off Jarniewicz’s framework (while also being indebted to Sasha Colby’s concept a “poetics excavation”), in this I propose hybrid offspring legislator—the excavator—through example American poet Susan Howe’s work “Melville’s Marginalia,” from her 1993 book The Nonconformist’s Memorial. Megan Williams asks, “How does use Melville… reveal literary history itself be series choices that must rethought rewritten? What are these choices, where do they leave for posterity?” (106). It is relationship posterity particular interest here. Whereas others take extraordinary care analyze Marginalia” discrete text avoid making broader remarks about text’s potential oeuvre more generally, my consider how consistent with sustained effort by Howe situate herself within frame canonical figures. Moreover, offering contrast poets such Don Mee Choi, Sarah Mangold, C. D. Wright, suggest efforts, fact, solidify expansive versatility figures—such Melville, Dickinson, others—even if there clear critical dimension.