Not occupied in creating an image, we hear (4)
I believe the answer is:
idle
'not occupied' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'image we hear' is the wordplay.
'image' becomes 'idyll' (I have seen 'rural image' mean 'idyll' so perhaps 'image' could also mean 'idyll').
'we hear' shows a homophone (sound like).
'idyll' is a homophone of 'IDLE'.
'in creating an' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for idle that I've seen before include "Loaf" , "Empty" , "Lazy - unemployed" , "Not busy" , "out of a job" .)