Poe Toaster facts for kids
The Poe Toaster was a mysterious person who visited the grave of famous American writer Edgar Allan Poe every year. This person would show up in the early hours of January 19, which is Poe's birthday. They would go to Poe's original grave in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Toaster wore black clothes, a wide hat, and a white scarf. They would pour a glass of cognac (a type of strong drink) and toast Poe. Then, they would leave three red roses in a special way and the unfinished bottle of cognac. After that, they would disappear into the night. People would gather each year, hoping to see the Toaster, but they rarely did.
It's believed the original Toaster started this tradition in the 1930s and continued until 1998. After that, someone claiming to be the original Toaster's son took over. In 2010, the Toaster stopped coming. This seemed to end the 75-year tradition. However, in 2016, the Maryland Historical Society chose a new "Toaster" to bring the tradition back.
Contents
History of the Poe Toaster
The Start of a Mysterious Tradition
Edgar Allan Poe, a famous American author, died in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 7, 1849. The Poe Toaster tradition may have started as early as the 1930s. It continued every year until 2009.
Each year, very early on January 19 (Poe's birthday), a figure dressed in black would enter the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore. Their face was hidden by a scarf or hood. At Poe's original grave, which has a special stone, they would pour a glass of Martell cognac. Then, they would raise a toast to Poe. After that, they would place three red roses on the monument in a unique way. They would then leave the unfinished bottle of cognac and depart.
People believe the three roses represented Poe, his wife Virginia Eliza Poe, and his mother-in-law Maria Clemm. All three were buried at that spot. The meaning of the cognac is not fully known. Some think it was a tradition from the Toaster's own family. Several of the cognac bottles are now kept at the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore.
Reporters and Poe fans would gather each year to watch the event. A photo, thought to be of the Toaster, was published in Life Magazine in 1990.
Claims and Doubts About the Toaster
In 2007, a 92-year-old man named Sam Porpora said he started the Poe Toaster tradition. He was a former historian for Baltimore's Westminster Church. Porpora claimed he made up the Toaster in the 1960s. He said it was a "publicity stunt" to help the church. He also said he falsely told a reporter that the visits began in 1949.
However, reports of the Toaster's visits appeared in newspapers before the 1960s. For example, a 1950 article in the Baltimore Evening Sun mentioned "an anonymous citizen who creeps in annually." Jeff Jerome, a Poe expert, pointed out that Porpora's story often changed. He said there were "holes so big in Sam's story, you could drive a Mack truck through them." Jeff Savoye of the Edgar Allan Poe Society also questioned Porpora's claims. Porpora later admitted that he was not the one making the annual visits. He said someone else had taken over the tradition.
The End of the Original Tradition
In 2010, the Poe Toaster did not appear. Jeff Jerome, who had seen every visit since 1976, had no explanation. He thought that if the Toaster wanted to stop, Poe's 200th birthday in 2009 would be a good time to end it.
In 2011, four people who were not the real Toaster showed up. They were called "faux Toasters." They were easy to spot because they walked in plain sight, unlike the real Toaster who was secretive. They also did not give a special signal that only Jerome knew. And they did not arrange the roses in the Toaster's unique pattern. Some people thought the tradition should end respectfully. Others wanted it to continue, even with imitators.
In 2012, no one who seemed to be the "original" Toaster appeared again. Jerome said the tradition was "over with." He was a little annoyed that no note was left to say it was ending.
A New Beginning for the Tradition
In 2015, the Maryland Historical Society held a contest. They wanted to choose a new person to bring back the annual tribute. This new Toaster would also remain anonymous. The new Toaster made their first appearance on January 16, 2016. This was a Saturday, three days before Poe's birthday.
The new Toaster wore the traditional black clothes. They played Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre on a violin. After making the traditional cognac toast and placing the roses, they said, "Cineri gloria sera venit". This means "Glory paid to one's ashes comes too late." This quote is from an old Roman poet named Martial. After saying this, the new Toaster left.
See also
- Poetaster
- Rudolph Valentino's "Woman in Black"
