Reading “The Raven” on Poe’s birthday in Baltimore

Wednesday Jan. 19 is the anniversary of the birth, in 1809, of Edgar Allan Poe. His birthplace was Boston. The Master of the Macabre lived in Baltimore and died here in 1849. On his birthday, in keeping with my stated resolutions for 2022, I hope to read, “The Raven” at his gravesite in downtown Baltimore. I should be there by noon and, if all goes well, the reading of Poe’s most famous poem should take about 12 minutes. The location is the corner of Greene and West Fayette Streets, at the Westminster Burying Ground. Maybe I’ll see you there.

On Saturday, Jan. 22, Poe fans from around the world are again invited to an afternoon of Poe-related events in Baltimore. The Edgar Allan Poe Virtual and Live Birthday Event attracted more than 175,000 people last January, according to Jeff Jerome, Curator Emeritus of the Poe House and Museum. “It blew me away,” Jerome said of the response. The events are free, though donations are welcome to defray costs.

Poe Baltimore offers a bus tour of Poe sites related to his mysterious death. These events have been moved to mid-February because of COVID-19 concerns. More information here. Poe Baltimore is hosting an online Poe trivia night, too.