A couple of poems, "Ismail Bey" (1832) and "Hadji Abrek" (1833) were published by a comrade, without Lermontoff's knowledge, at this time.

In general, it may be said of Lermontoff at that period that he cared not in the least for literary fame, and made no haste to publish his writings, as to which he was very severe.

Many were not published until five or six years after they were written.
Soon after leaving the military school Lermontoff wrote a drama, "The Masquerade" (1834), and the fine poem, "Boyarin Orsha," but his fame began only in 1837, with his splendid poem on the death of Pushkin, "The Death of the Poet," beginning, "The poet perished, the slave of honor," in which he expressed his entire sympathy with the poet in his untimely death, and poured out all his bitterness upon the circle which was incapable of appreciating and prizing the genius.

This, in a multitude of manuscript copies, created a great sensation in St.Petersburg.

Soon afterwards, on hearing contradictory rumors as to the duel and Pushkin's death, he added sixteen verses, beginning, "And you, ye arrogant descendants." One of the prominent persons therein attacked having had his attention called to the matter in public by an officious gossip (he had probably known all about it before, and deliberately ignored the matter), felt obliged to report Lermontoff.