Many poems need deciphering (5)
I believe the answer is:
codes
'need deciphering' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'many poems' is the wordplay.
'many' becomes 'c' (C is the Roman numeral for 100).
'poems' becomes 'odes' (ode is a kind of poem).
'c'+'odes'='CODES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for codes that I've seen before include "Lots of laws" , "Word systems devised to create secrecy" , "morals" , "Symbolic systems" , "Ciphers" .)