Jeffrey Zygmont offers evening with ‘master of macabre’ at Old Gilmanton Town Hall

New Hampshire-based author Jeffrey Zygmont brought the works of Edgar Allan Poe to life on Halloween eve Friday, in front of a large crowd gathered at Old Gilmanton Town Hall. The program, “Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven and More,” was presented to more than 50 of the curiously-minded, along with equally spooky works by Emily Dickinson. Zygmont's dramatic retelling of “The Raven” (1845) and “The Bells” (1848) were joined with discussion about Poe’s life, analysis and the author’s quirks. Zygmont is a poet himself, and he enjoys keeping the works of Poe relevant to today’s audiences, especially around Halloween. “To promote poetry, to try to spread enthusiasm for it and a greater understanding and appreciation for it, I give a number of programs. ‘The Raven,’ which we're doing tonight, is just one of them. This time of year it's immensely popular. Of course, it's spooky,” Zygmont said. “Basically, for me, it's a labor of love. I want to promote poetry and reintroduce people to it.” The program was hosted by the Gilmanton Historical Society, and is the final program of their 2026 Summer Program Series.

— Katlyn Proctor