Funeral 2.0: Baltimore Tells Poe to Never Say 'Nevermore'

Few figures in American literature have inspired such a loyal following as Edgar Allen Poe. The pioneer of short stories, mysteries, and Gothic horror has carved out a firm place in American storytelling and a rabidly loyal fan base.

This year, on the 200th anniversary of Poe's birth, Baltimore has planned a year-long celebration of Poe's life. But the event that is capturing the most attention is coming up this weekend and has nothing to do with life at all.


As Neatorama and CBS News have both pointed out, Poe's death was as ignominious and sad as the rest of his life. Thanks to his cousin, Neilson Poe, who refused to announce Edgar's death, fewer than 10 people attended the literary icon's funeral.

Well the city of Baltimore, and Jeff Jerome of the Poe House and Museum in particular, has set out to right this wrong. On Sunday, the 160th anniversary of the author's death, not one but two services will be held in remembrance of Poe.

And it wouldn't be a Poe event without an extra element of creepiness. CBS News reports that 'Jerome commissioned local special-effects artist Eric Supensky to create an eerily lifelike--or deathlike--mock-up of Poe's corpse'. Not only that, but a number of actors will eulogize Poe while portraying contemporary authors who have written about him.

In the US, we sometimes fail to honor our poets and writers when we should, but this time it seems that a small group of dedicated individuals are determined to get it right. I just wonder what the Mysterious Visitor thinks of all this.