Verse manuscript abridged by author (5)
I believe the answer is:
poems
'verse manuscript abridged by author' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'manuscript abridged by author' is the wordplay.
'manuscript' becomes 'mss'.
'abridged' means to remove the last letter.
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'author' becomes 'poe' (Edgar Allan Poe).
'mss' with its final letter removed is 'ms'.
'ms' after 'poe' is 'POEMS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for poems that I've seen before include "Compositions, in metrical feet usually" , "Mopes about with verses" .)