Is that the exact clue? Where does the clue end please donald? Were you given the letters? And you are showing only 11 not 12 letters.
Do you have any crossing letters?
A quick perusal has me agreeing with the letters shown, with the addition of another 'D'.
Complete the crossword then rearrange the marked letters to form *a word*. This month's clue is [i]"Stop counting and follow in the footsteps of the poet" (8,4)[i]
I note last month's word was a place name in N Yorks - perhaps the same applies here?