PORTLAND, Maine — A former teacher who founded the Dead Poets Society of America and traveled 15,000 miles to document the graves of poets has a new mission — to create a Dead Poets Remembrance Day on Oct. 7, the date that master of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe died.
Amateur poet Walter Skold launched his endeavor Friday, beginning a 22-state tour of the graves of fallen bards. He has enlisted 13 current and former state poets laureate to help drum up support.
“Of course, it takes a little chutzpah to say we’re starting a holiday,” said Skold, who left his job as a public school technology teacher to pursue his passions of poetry and photography. “But we believe it’s a really good idea, and we hope it catches on nationwide.”
Having learned from past mistakes, Skold sought permission from cemeteries ahead of time so there is no suspicion about satanic rituals or disrespectful behavior.
