When I was a child I loved Edgar Allan Poe. One of my favourite stories was The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether. I've always been a sucker for a twist ending and that one has a doozey. Stories like The Black Cat and The Tell Tale Heart must have taken up residency in me as I find myself wanting to write the gruesome tale more and more. Poe was a fabulous writer and now is often described as the father of the thriller and detective tale, but like many writers he died penniless. He had a difficult life often so poor he could not afford heat or food.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Poe's birth and in Baltimore, his birth place and mine, they held a funeral for him. His original funeral lasted only three minutes and was attended by just a few people. This time around they had to hold two funerals to cater for all of the people who wanted to attend.
I suppose it is a tribute and that's a good thing, but perhaps the better tribute is to not allow equally talented writers of today suffer a similar fate. It is not written in stone that poverty and writing must go hand in hand - is it?
5 comments:
Oh crap, you've been spammed in the previous comment. I haven't seen that before.
I am a huge Poe fan. I learned to recite Annabelle Lee in the fifth grade. How cool that they held a funeral for Poe 200 years later. Unfortunately too many artists and writers live in poverty.
Anyone know how to delete a comment like that one?
Thanks Ms Karen you sure area a clever little lassie!!
I don't want to know I'm great when I'm dead. I always feel like I'm about to get to some certain crossover to become a really good writer and I keep wishing I don't die before that happens.
"The Tell Tale Heart" still can give me chills. I remember being mesmerized when a teacher read out "The Pit and the Pendulum". There's nothing like a spooky story to make you check over your shoulder every two minutes!
And yes, I'd like to be alive to enjoy any success I achieve. Please.
Elspeth
nice posting....i like it...it is really helpfull to all...I am a huge Poe fan. I learned to recite Annabelle Lee in the fifth grade. How cool that they held a funeral for Poe 200 years later.
Bathmate
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