Before, to a bard (3)
I believe the answer is:
ere
'before to a bard' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ere that I've seen before include "Old prior" , "Before (in time)" , "Before (literary)" , "Before, poetically" , "Archaic word for before - a palindrome" .)