Mimetic Presuppositions: On the Epitextual Responses to Two Poems in English by Marlene van Niekerk

SummaryIn this article, I consider two fairly recent English poems by Marlene van Niekerk: “Mud school” (2013) and “Fallist art (in memory of Bongani Mayosi)” (2018). Specifically, explore the context surrounding production these poems, what we can possibly glean from their limited (and not exclusively literary) reception in order to understand how part Van Niekerk’s (English) authorship has thus far been read more ways critics scholars. By focusing on epitextual responses show they are symptomatic Jahan Ramazani calls “mimetic presuppositions” that often take shape critical readings postcolonial literature (2004). Considering especially politically engaged nature novels particular, argue oversight poetry, both residing dearth translation her poetry blind spot writ large studies work English, comes as a result Emma Bird (2018) poetry’s “distinctly peripheral position” literary – lens various directed work.