Bard's "before" (3)
I believe the answer is:
ere
'bard's before' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for ere that I've seen before include "Archaic word for before - a palindrome" , "Before (in poetry)" , "Before (poetic)" , "Before, poetically" , "One who steals" .)