See poems as secret writings (5)
I believe the answer is:
codes
'secret writings' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'see poems' is the wordplay.
'see' becomes 'C' (the word for the letter, according to Chambers).
'poems' becomes 'odes' (ode is a kind of poem).
'c'+'odes'='CODES'
'as' is the link.
(Other definitions for codes that I've seen before include "Lots of laws" , "System of letters etc for the purpose of secrecy" , "Sets of rules or cryptograms" , "Symbolic systems" , "Systems for transmitting secret messages" .)