Crossword Genius

Poet excluded in conversation (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bard

'poet' is the definition.
(I know that poet can be written as bard)

'excluded in conversation' is the wordplay.
'excluded' becomes 'barred' ('bar' can be a synonym of 'exclude').
'in conversation' shows a homophone (sound like).
'barred' is a homophone of 'BARD'.

(Other definitions for bard that I've seen before include "Gray, perhaps" , "Traditional poet" , "A drab sort of old poet" , "A lyric poet" , "Ancient poet" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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