Edgar Allan Poe to Be Buried... Again

Associated Press is reporting perhaps the weirdest, and most appropriate, tribute to Edgar Allen Poe since 2009 is the 200th anniversary of the man's birth. The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore are arranging a funeral for Poe.

When Poe died mysteriously in 1849 at the age of 40, his death was not publicly announced, less than 10 people attended the funeral that was given, his gravestone was destroyed before it could be put in place, and an obituary written by one of his enemies tarnished his reputation for years afterwards.

But the Poe House and Museum are determined to set things to rights by holding a grand funeral for Poe such as would have normally been given at that time for a man of his undeniable literary genius. It will be held in the former church nearest his gravesite and will be held twice since the building will only accomodate a relatively small number of people. Tickets for the event are sold out. There will be actors dressed as notables of the time who would have attended if circumstances had been different and these will give eulogies. Since there is very little left of Poe's body, he will not be exhumed for the event. Instead, a special effects artist has made a replica of what Poe would have looked like laid-in-state for the proceedings. The date for this re-done funeral will be October 11, 2009.

Weird, but an appropriately poetic and dark tribute to the master of dark poetry and dark short-stories as well as the inventor of the novel and the mystery. Perhaps some of his enthusiats will find solace in the events.

RESOURCE:

Edgar Allen Poe Finally Getting Proper Funeral, Ben Nuckols, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091006/ap_on_re_us/us_poe_funeral, Associated Press, October 6, 2009.