Baltimore Birthday Boy or The torch will be passed

This year, the mystery man stole into the Edgar Allen Poe's locked graveyard Poe's birthday as he's done every year for 56 years. And, as per usual, he placed three roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac on the writer's grave. He was dressed for the frigid temperature that had him forgo the usual black cape. Last year French cognac was reluctantly left to mark the writer's birthday. The mysterious visitor made a point of saying so in a note placed at the grave.

"The sacred memory of Poe and his final resting place is no place for French cognac," the note read. "With great reluctance but for respect for family tradition the cognac is place [sic].
The memory of Poe shall live evermore!"


artwork by J.D.Crowe


"This place gives me the creeps!" Vincent Price, 1977

Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan series has an entire book, In a Strange City, wrapped around the visitor and loads of Poe lore. Poe's House and Museum can be toured.