Expressive American author, little jerk! (6)
I believe the answer is:
poetic
'expressive american' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'author little jerk' is the wordplay.
'author' becomes 'Poe' (Edgar Allan Poe).
'little jerk' becomes 'tic' (jerking movement by the body).
'poe'+'tic'='POETIC'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for poetic that I've seen before include "Imaginative; like verse" , "Clearly expressed in speech/writing" , "Characterized by romantic imagery" , "Having rhythm and beauty" , "One sort of licence" .)