| MATTHEWARNOLD | Poet: the man alert inside, dull and ancient outside |
| PATERNAL | The old man's alert, nap having been disturbed (8) |
| ALLUDED | Referred back inside dull archive. (7) |
| EEN | 'Even' in short for the poet the poet |
| POPEYE | Old poet - the ancient mariner? |
| BASHO | Seventeenth century Japanese poet (The Narrow Road to the Deep North) |
| MICHAELROSEN | Novelist and poet, the UK Children's Laureate 20072009 (7,5) |
| DILETTANTE | "The Amateur Poet," the title is translated into (10) |
| OPERA | Performance open to the poet - the Sun-god (5) |
| LAUREATE | Poet ---, the court poet of Britain, currently Simon Armitage (8) |
| BILLIARDBALL | A poet, the Italian reflected inside, had a good time, pocketed thing (8,4) |
| MCGONAGALL | William --, poet (The Tay Bridge Disaster) |
| HUGHES | Poet - the chap's after an expression of affection |
| CRABBE | George -, English poet (The Borough) |
| YEATS | Irish poet (The Winding Stair) |
| IND | To a poet, the subcontinent makes a din about it (3) |
| EVE | Either way it gives a poet the time of day (3) |
| WHITTIER | For poet the smallest thing leads to row |
| SWINBURNE | Poet, the scoundrel, pinching almost all of another |
| SHAKESPEARE | Poet the equal of leading Arab in recital |
