A recusatio is a poem (or part thereof) in which the poet

Poet

A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...

 claims he is supposedly unable or disinclined to write the type of poem which he originally intended to, and instead writes in a different style.

The recusatio is something of a topos in ancient literature. Its use has often been interpreted as a persona deliberately adopted by the poet, allowing him to express ironic self-deprecation or feigned humility.