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Founder of Dead Poets Society visits bards' graves

Posted on October 31, 2009 at 4:09 PM

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CUNDY'S HARBOR, Maine (AP) — On the big screen, the leader of the Dead Poets Society at an all-boys prep school was an inspirational teacher played by Robin Williams.

In real life, it's a balding amateur poet who drives around in his "Poemobile," visiting and documenting the graves of dead poets and calling attention to their works.

Walter Skold just finished a three-month road trip in which he visited the graves of 150 poets in 23 states. Skold boasts that he set a literary land speed record of 1.66 gpd (graves per day) over the course of his 15,000-mile journey.

While his graveside poetry readings and occasional cemetery sleepovers evoke the macabre, Skold insists his intentions are honorable.

He says his project is "a way to honor our literary forebearers and to historically resurrect their works."

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