Poems of modesty (4)
I believe the answer is:
odes
'poems' is the definition.
(ode is a kind of poem)
'of modesty' is the wordplay.
'of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'ODES' is hidden in the letters of 'modesty'.
(Other definitions for odes that I've seen before include "Lines" , "Poems in praise" , "Poets write them" , "Keats was fond of them" , "Songs" .)