Stylish line in a repeating metre at poem's start (1,2,4)
I believe the answer is:
a la mode
'stylish' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'line in a repeating metre at poem's start' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'line' could be 'l' (used when specifying particular lines from a poem) and 'l' is found within the answer.
'a' is within the answer.
'metre' could be 'm' (synonyms) and 'm' is present in the answer.
'poem' could be 'ode' (ode is a kind of poem) and 'ode' is present in the answer.
A single letter 'a' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for a la mode that I've seen before include "stewed with veg?" , "Fashionable in France" , "In the fashion - in France" , "Stylish" , "Fashionable -- served with ice cream" .)