S. Army where he served a two-year term. He was a member of the First Artillery Regiment in Charleston, South Carolina, enlisted under the name Edgar A. Perry. Once he was out of the Army, Poe went to work on his second book of poetry, Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems, and published it soon after in 1829.
Al Aaraaf, a lyric poem written in response to the night sky, was supposedly written by Poe as a child, but was composed in 1827 while still in the army. The poem is about Nesace who lives on a star named Al Aaraaf. The poem is very hard to comprehend and is said to have many different meanings. .
In 1829, Poe finally worked his issues out with John Allan and Allan reserved him a place in the Military Academy. In the spring of 1830, Poe decided to attend West Point. West Point was open to all young men but was extremely competitive. Candidates must have received a nomination from a member of Congress, or from the Department of the Army. They were then evaluated on their academic, physical and leadership potential. Those candidates who were fully qualified received appointments to the Academy. Poe was accepted and he was appointed to cadetship which would begin in June of 1831. A few months into his work at the Military Academy, Poe was dismissed for neglecting his duties, and Allan once again disowned him, only this time it was for good. .
At age 22, Poe moved to Baltimore where he lived with his Aunt Maria Clemm and her 11-year old daughter, Virginia Clemm. Soon after leaving the Academy, Poe released a third book of his poems titled, Poems by Edgar Allan Poe, Second Edition. In-between writing books of poetry, Poe was also writing little tales and writing prose's, five of which appeared in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier. Also while in Baltimore he entered his tale, "A MS. Sound in a Bottle,"" in a contest sponsored by the Baltimore Saturday Visitor, and won the first place position.