Final answer:
In 'A Fable for Critics,' Lowell answers Edgar Allan Poe's criticism of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Step-by-step explanation:
In "A Fable for Critics," Lowell provides a retort to Edgar Allan Poe's criticism of fellow author Ralph Waldo Emerson. Poe, known for his dark tales and essays, was a critic of many of his contemporaries. Lowell's poem, which sought to review and satirize American poets and writers of his time, includes a defense of Emerson's transcendentalist works against Poe's critiques. Lowell's response to Poe is an important part of the literary conversations and rivalries of the American Romantic period.