I am left with first small trade items (7)
I believe the answer is:
imports
'trade items' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'i am left with first small' is the wordplay.
'i am' becomes 'I'm' (contraction).
'left' becomes 'port' (left side of a ship - opposite of starboard).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'first small' becomes 's' (1st letter of 'small').
'im'+'port'+'s'='IMPORTS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for imports that I've seen before include "Goods bought in" , "Brings goods in from another country" , "Goods brought in (to country)" .)