Contrary way poets work (7)
I believe the answer is:
inverse
'contrary' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for inverse that I've seen before include "Antonym" , "Opposite (like poetry?)" , "Reversed in order or relation" , "Something the exact opposite of another" , "Opposite in direction" .)