Edgar Allan Poe was born (granted, I don’t know if it was actually “dark,” but given it was Boston in the middle of January, I’ll hazard a guess that the sun wasn’t shining on the infant Poe’s brow).
Today marks the 200th anniversary of Poe’s birth. In honor, The New York Times offers images of Poe and his manuscripts.
It’s also the 60th year (more or less) of the Poe Toaster. Beginning in 1949, an anonymous individual has noted the writer’s birthday each year (more or less) by visiting Poe’s grave and leaving half of a bottle of cognac and three red roses. Let’s hope it’s warm enough for the Toaster’s churchyard appearance tonight.
(Update: apparently, it was warm enough. The Poe Toaster again left a 1/2 empty bottle of cognac and three red roses at Poe’s grave [while fifty people watched from the sidelines]).
JACQUELINE A. POLLARD 