Dull poet from the East (4)
I believe the answer is:
drab
'dull' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'poet from the east' is the wordplay.
'poet' becomes 'bard' (bard is a kind of poet).
'from the east' shows that the letters should be reversed in order (on a map from right to left).
'bard' back-to-front is 'DRAB'.
(Other definitions for drab that I've seen before include "Dismal < slattern" , "kind of tart" , "Dull light brown colour" , "Colourless like bard" , "Dingy, dull" .)