Virginia Poe was Edgar Allan Poe’s devoted wife (and first cousin.) Though widely believed to be the inspiration for Poe’s writing and recurring themes of dark beauty and doomed devotion, only one piece of writing from his wife survives: an acrostic Valentine to Edgar in 1846, less than a year before she would die at the age of 24. Listen to a special recording of Virginia’s own love words to her husband, then join us for a graveside chat with Dean Knight of the Poe Museum (Richmond) for a talk about the marriage of Edgar Allan Poe to Virginia, including Edgar’s proposal of marriage.
Additional Playback Options
- High res, non-annotated version
- Audio Only
Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this month and thus the immutable laws of marketing dictate we must celebrate/endure a weekend of romantic bliss… or misery… likely both if you’re a Poe fan. Your favorite restaurants will be booked, so consider a Bus Tour of Edgar Allan Poe’s Baltimore for your beloved instead. And while you’re in the cemetery, leave a rose for Edgar and his wife, Virginia (she’s buried right next to him) as in 2022 we commemorate the Virginia Poe Bicentennial.
Those staying in V-day evening can enjoy our special Valentine’s program, In Her Own Words: A Valentine for Edgar Allan Poe, featuring Virginia’s poetic Valentine to her husband and Edgar’s fraught proposal of marriage. The program will stream on Facebook and YouTube at 7PM Eastern. Stay to the end to learn how you can participate in our next recording!
Read about all upcoming events and dates to look for in our February newsletter!
Meet Virginia, Edgar Allan Poe’s devoted wife (and first cousin.) Born August 15th, 1822, she died January 30th, 1847 and was buried in New York. Several years his junior, Virginia preceded her doomed husband in death. And yet here she lies in Baltimore, forevermore next to her darling Eddy at Westminster Hall & Burial Ground. Join us for a graveside chat at Westminster where we’ll share the history of this obscure-yet-important figure in Edgar Allan Poe’s family story and learn about why the Poes had such a hard time finding a permanent place to rest their bones.
Additional Viewing Options
- High Res, non-annotated version
- Audio only