other by telling stories and john hamilton mckenzie recalls telling edger the standard stories, robinson curuso and poe would tell stories and embellish them and he would create new stories. but eventually poe got an interest in poetry and by the age of 13 he already compiled enough of his poetry that he wanted his foster father to help him get published and the head master at the school said he's already head strong, the last thing you want to do is fuel his ego by publishing the group of poet poetry. but by 18 he published his book. much of it was probably written while he was attending the university in charlottesville. poe probably thought he would be like most writers of the day and live off of family money or a teaching job and a government job in the custom's house but he became the first major american writer to make his living solely off his writing and i don't think it was entirely by choice. he would have loved to inherit john allen's fortune but it wasn't left to him. and after poe had been expelled from west point, allan wouldn't take him back, wouldn't fund his wild dream of becom