Mysterious Fan Marks Poe's Birthday

Associated Press ^ | Wed, Jan 19, 2005 | KASEY JONES

[NonValueAdded]

"But this time, some spectators "created a nuisance," Jerome said. Some entered the locked cemetery; others confronted Jerome after the stranger had departed and demanded that he reveal his identity."

Holy Sam Donaldson, Batman, did any of them shout out questions as the stranger departed? The "spectators" had to be reporters - no one else we know acts like that!

[Frapster]

Unfortunately in this day and age of 'stand in the window on your cellphone and wave at the camera on the morning shows' someone will take it upon themself to ruin this tradition. From the article it appears inevitable.

[GVnana]

Interesting. I had never heard of this before.

[Hatteras]

Okay, first there's:

"It was absolutely frigid," Jerome said of the sub-20 degree temperature."

Then there is this:

"The significance of the cognac is unknown. "

Well, duh!

[CrazyIvan]

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

It seems his fan has copied his M.O.

[Mad Dawgg]

I had forgotten about this tradition.

I love it!

There should be a bit of mystery and wonder in all our lives.

[JFK_Lib]

Edgar Allan Poe is a mystery himself.

A theme of objection to then oncoming age of Romanticism runs through all his stories as he emphasized the dark side of human emotions.

His 'Fall of the House of Usher' makes this quite clear as he mourned the passage of the Age of Reason in a poem recited within the tale.

I can't help but wonder if his early death might not have been partly due to the frustration of trying to warn those who lead us into the Romantic Age, leaving reason in a purely secondary role to romantic emotionalism.

Whatever the case, Poe was a man too aware of the follys of his own time.

[Skylos]

I vividly remember reading the Telltale Heart and it still makes my hair stand on end.

[WorkingClassFilth]

I fear you are correct.

[VRWCmember]

OK Bob, is it you?

[silent_jonny]

For decades, a frail figure made the visit to Poe's grave. But in 1993 the original visitor left a cryptic note saying, "The torch will be passed." A later note said the man, who apparently died in 1998, had passed the tradition on to his sons.

The article goes on to say:

This new visitor appeared to be a bit heavier than his predecessor, outweighing him by an estimated 200 to 250 pounds. After several failed attempts, the "Poe Toaster" finally pulled himself over the fence and crashed to the ground on the other side. Several spectators reported hearing curses emanating from the visitor, the least of which were "dammit!" and "son of a BITCH!"

The Toaster then climbed to his feet and staggered to Poe's grave, where he dropped the roses and the cognac as if he were glad to be rid of the burden. He then spent several minutes bowed over the grave, his hand on the tombstone, trying to catch his breath.

Rested, the Toaster once again made the arduous journey back to the fence where he paused for a moment, looking up at the barrier as if it were Everest. The visitor eventually said "hell with it" and left through the gate.

[Shanda]

Edgar Allen Poe is the most widely read American author. I read that somewhere and I bet it is surprising to many people.

Poe was very handsome.

[presidio9]

I would have guessed Twain, but I guess short stories are easier to read.

[presidio9]

Poe was very handsome.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Poe in tavern (circa 1849): "Charlie, 150 years from now, under the banner of my most famous poem, scores of gigantic men, mostly Black, will bash and thrash other gigantic men right here in Baltimore on Sundays every fall. They will do this before screaming crowds in a colossal arena and will be very highly paid."

Charlie the Bartender: "Yeah, me too."

[Noachian]

A later note said the man, who apparently died in 1998, had passed the tradition on to his sons.

The stories I've heard about the "visitor" was that he was a Eng. Lit. professor, so those "sons" are probably references to college Eng. Lit. majors who took over after he died.

The story about the half empty cognac bottle is the cognac that's left over after all of the college Eng. Lit. types in the Poe Society have drunk their toasts to Poe.

Whether those stories are true or not doesn't matter as much as the tradition was passed on, and is still being observed.

[Capn TrVth]

Poe in tavern (circa 1849): "Charlie, 150 years from now, under the banner of my most famous poem, scores of gigantic men, mostly Black, will bash and thrash other gigantic men right here in Baltimore on Sundays every fall. They will do this before screaming crowds in a colossal arena and will be very highly paid." Charlie the Bartender: "Yeah, me too."

Now that was WAY too funny, -if you just made that up, you need to get a writing gig ;>

[mhking]

"Charlie, 150 years from now, under the banner of my most famous poem, scores of gigantic men, mostly Black, will bash and thrash other gigantic men right here in Baltimore on Sundays every fall. They will do this before screaming crowds in a colossal arena and will be very highly paid."

The LEAGUE plays here!

[4mycountry]

Off topic, but... I love your tagline. :)