More than 175 years after its first publication, the poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe remains both a masterwork of American literature and an entertaining adventure in horror. Enrich your Halloween season by experiencing a dramatic recital of The Raven by author and poet Jeffrey Zygmont. Jeff brings the 18 stanzas to life by emphasizing Poe’s inventive and ingenious language that draws listeners to the poem’s chilling conclusion – aided by a few choice props that enhance your enjoyment. Jeff also gives a brief review of the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. And he provides some background and commentary on the poem that makes your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of The Raven more complete.

The program also includes a recital with commentary of Poe’s poem The Bells. Shorter than The Raven but still a considerable poem, The Bells is also a haunting adventure.

Jeffrey Zygmont is a New Hampshire writer and poet who has published numerous fiction and non-fiction books, poetry books, children’s books, and short stories. As a journalist, he has published articles in a long list of magazines and newspapers. He speaks regularly about poetry and art – especially to promote the works of poets Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Frost – at venues around New England. Jeff studied engineering and the physical sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and a master’s degree in English from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Kimball Library