My favorite poet! Or at least, author of my single favorite poem ("Little Gidding" -- W.B. Yeats is my all-round favorite).

I don't know Eliot's net worth, and he wasn't starving, certainly, but I don't believe that he was vying for any of the "wealthiest people in the world" lists, like Rowling and some other writers can.

My point is that the original assertion is basically untrue: success in poetry is not a reliable way to amass wealth. Very good poets--those who publish in prestigious journals like, well, Poetry, or who can get books of poetry published and read--usually still need day jobs. They are often supported by university positions.

I love poetry, but a would-be poet needs a back-up plan, and "making it big" in poetry means ekeing out a middle-class living, as opposed to other fields where making it big can mean multimillions.