Current Event for 1/22/07
'Poe toaster' visits writer's grave for 58th year
Edgar Allen Poe (who shares a birthday with a favorite sociology teacher of yours), dead since 1849, still has an interesting birthday celebration.
For 58 years now, a visitor leaves gifts on the writer's grave to commemorate his birthday.
Who is the mysterious "Poe Toaster?"
Read the article here.
Is there someone famous you like enough to "toast" on their birthday for the next 58 years? What do you think about the crowd of onlookers...should they leave the "Poe Toaster" alone? Click on "comments" to weigh in with your opinions.
Edgar Allen Poe (who shares a birthday with a favorite sociology teacher of yours), dead since 1849, still has an interesting birthday celebration.
For 58 years now, a visitor leaves gifts on the writer's grave to commemorate his birthday.
Who is the mysterious "Poe Toaster?"
Read the article here.
Is there someone famous you like enough to "toast" on their birthday for the next 58 years? What do you think about the crowd of onlookers...should they leave the "Poe Toaster" alone? Click on "comments" to weigh in with your opinions.
posted by cldaily at 8:50 AM
17 Comments:
I can't think of anyone I would want to toast for 58 years. It seems like a very long time, but to him it is a tradition.
Personally I think that it is none of those people's business if he visits his grave. They should respect his loyalty to a great poet and author. Normal people don't watch others visit graves; why should this be any different.
If there was someone famous that I could leave "gifts" on their grave for numerous years it would be a beatles member. Just kidding. Love the beatles but just wanted to come up with an answer. Although I say I would leave gifts, I dont think I would take it to the extreme of doing it every year. I love people, and it's very sad when they pass, but I dont think I would leave someone something if I didnt know them. As selfish as that may sound, I don't think I would. I think the crowd is wrong for treating the poe-toaster the way that they did. It's his or her own choice. This person isnt harming anyone, this person isnt causing damage to the grave or the site near the grave, they are simply leaving gifts for their idol.I do feel that the crowd should leave him or her alone. It has nothing to do with the crowd, it has to do with Poe-Toaster and poe.
I dont think there is anyone that i would toast at their grave site. I think it is a really nice thing to do for someone but i think there are more practicle ways to honor and toast someone. Also i agree that it is no ones business who leaves the toast at Poes grave if the toaster wanted people to know who he/she was they would tell people.
I understand that the spectators want to come and see the man toast someone that he is obviously fond of. If he thinks that Edgar Allan Poe was a man that is worthy of being toasted to every year, then no one should interfere with that. Personally i think the man is doing a great thing by honoring someone that he holds dear.
You can't tell all those people that they can't come to the cemetary just because someone else is there. They have the right to be there, too. But the man also has the right to be there withourt being harmed or harassed in anyway.
I find this rather..unusual that people go to a cemetary just to watch a "mysterious" man put alcohol and roses on Poes grave. I believe that it is very creative and loyal of the Poe-toaster to do this for 58 years straight. He had to have had a strong connection with Poes writings to do that for 58 years. Personally, i think that the people who go and watch the Poe-toaster do his doings should just leave him alone and let him do his thing. Everybody has their own obsessions and loves, some are just different from others and people need to learn to respect that. If he wants to in a way celebrate Poes birthday with him even though he is dead, then so be it.
I dont think there is anyone i would want to toast for 58 years except maybe jimi hendrix.
i also think that it shouldnt be anyone else's business if he is going to poe's grave to pay his respects to the great writer. Why does it matter that he does it anyways?
Personally, I think its a little insane to want to toast to someone for 58 years, but I respect this person for his actions. Edgar Allen Poe was a great poet and obviously he still has some fans.
So no, there is no one I would toast for the next 58 years. As for the crowd of onlookers... let the visitor do his business and continue to toast Poe. Just leave him alone. Personally, although it makes a good story, I think the whole thing is no big deal.
Good Luck to this visitor in that he will be able to keep toasting Poe for another 58 years (which is quite impossible, but there's a good chance it hasn't been the same person every year).
I think thats really cool but freaky. I wish that someone would do that for me when I die. I don't think there is anyone I admire so much that I would leave them gifts.
i think that was really cool and considerate of that guy to put flowers and stuff on his grave. but i also feel it is a little over board considering the fact he does not even know him.
The woman who wrote "New Moon" and "Twilight" Would be the person I would probably toast. In all my years reading books she's the only one who I have really gotten into.
As for the people who looked for the Toaster, I believe it is their choice to an extent. Yes, it can be interesting to see a famous tradition, but you have to realize that there is an extent. If people are as unruly as previous years, then the cemetary should be blocked off from any visitor besides the Poe Toaster. It's rude to mess with other people's tradition.
I don't think there is anyone that I would toast for 58 years. I can see myself maybe going to the grave for a few years but 58 is along the lines of obsession. About the onlookers, I say that they do have as much of a right as the toaster to be there but they shouldn't be crowding around just to watch him. It's really rude of them to intrude on his privacy in the name of lame entertainment.
I think that is great that someone finds so much inspiration in Poe’s poems. I think that is the dream of every poet. To write something that means something to someone out there. That is why I write poetry and I’m sure that is the same reason a lot of people write. I think people should just leave this person/people alone. It is their own special way of celebrating something they feel is important. I hope they keep up the tradition for many years to come.
i agree with what everyone is saying. No one can think of someone that he or she would toast for 50 plus years. It is insane, but poe toaster isnt harming anyone. It isnt anyone's business if he isnt harming anyone. If he toats Poe for another 58 years..so be it.
If it is a tradition to him then all the power to him but i would never even think of that.
There is no one that i would toast on their birthday for 58 years. The people should leave the "toaster" alone since he is not harming anyone. Maybe the person is a real big fan of Poe and is showing their appreciation for his work. Everyone has the right to toast someone that they like or admire on their birthday. This is just the way to show respect for someone even after they are gone. The spectators should leave the toaster alone since there is never a crowd for anyone else when they visit a friend or family memebers grave.
I think if someone one is visiting someone else's grave, it is their business and no one elses. I also think it is rude to watch someone else while they are at a grave. He isn't harming anyone else by doing it so what is the big deal? I mean, there probably isn't anyone out there that i would do that for, but so what. If it is what the "toaster" wants to do then let him.
I think that if it was important enough to the "Poe taoster" to visit Poe's grave every year for 58 years then it was obviously something that was extremely important to him. I think that it is rude for people to spectate him while he tries to pay tribute to someone who he thinks deserves it.
As far as toasting someone for the next 58 years of my life I would find it hard to do it for someone who I never even met. If I were going to toast someone it would be someone whom I new for sure deserved it from me like my best friend or my parents.
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