Crossword Genius

Lacking brightness, poet is sent up (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

drab

'lacking brightness' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'poet is sent up' is the wordplay.
'poet' becomes 'bard' (bard is a kind of poet).
'is sent up' says the letters should be written backwards.
'bard' reversed gives 'DRAB'.

(Other definitions for drab that I've seen before include "Colourless kind of bard" , "Cheerless, shabby" , "Colourless like bard" , "Dismal < slattern" , "Dowdy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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