Crossword Genius

Motion perhaps damaged a tree -- leap out! (4,8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

poet laureate

'motion perhaps' is the definition.
(I know that Andrew Motion was a poet laureate)

'damaged a tree leap out' is the wordplay.
'damaged' indicates anagramming the letters.
'a'+'tree'+'leap'+'out'='atreeleapout'
'atreeleapout' is an anagram of 'POET LAUREATE'.

(Other definitions for poet laureate that I've seen before include "Official versifier" , "such as Tennyson" , "Court versifier" , "Queen picked out" , "Motion, at present" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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