Poets are stirred to produce works (8)
I believe the answer is:
operates
'works' is the definition.
('operate' can be a synonym of 'work')
'poets are stirred' is the wordplay.
'stirred' indicates anagramming the letters.
'poets'+'are'='poetsare'
'poetsare' is an anagram of 'OPERATES'.
'to produce' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for operates that I've seen before include "Performs, surgery perhaps" , "Acts" , "Directs or controls, machinery say" , "'Uses, manipulates (8)'" , "Performs sugery" .)