1977 in poetry

Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature.

Events

January - James Dickey, composes a poem he reads at new United States President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural gala.
July 11 - The English magazine Gay News is found guilty of blasphemous libel for publishing a homoerotic poem The Love That Dares to Speak Its Name by James Kirkup in a case brought by Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers and Listeners Association at the Old Bailey in London.
Poet Sarah Kirsch leaves her native East Germany for the West.
In Israeli the literary journal Keshet goes defunct, while Itton and Proza are founded.

Works published in English

Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:

Australia">Australian literature">Australia

Robert Adamson Cross The Border
Jennifer Maiden, Mortal Details, Rigmarole
Les Murray, Ethnic Radio, Angus & Robertson
John Tranter, Crying in Early Infancy: 100 Sonnets, Makar Press

Canada">Canadian poetry">Canada

Earle Birney:
* The Damnation of Vancouver. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. A satire on the modern city.
* Ghost in the Wheels: selected poems. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
Roo Borson, Landfall, American-Canadian
Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies' Man
Isabella Valancy Crawford, Hugh and Ion, Glenn Clever ed..
Irving Layton, The Poems of Irving Layton. Eli Mandel ed. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Also published, with an introduction by Hugh Kenner, as The Selected Poems of Irving Layton. New York: New Directions, 1977.
Irving Layton, The Covenant. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
Dorothy Livesay, Right Hand Left Hand. Erin, ON: Porcepic.
Pat Lowther, A Stone Diary
Miriam Mandel, Station 14. Edmonton: NeWest Press.
Charles Sangster, The Angel Guest and Other Poems and Lyrics, edited by Frank M. Tierney
F. R. Scott, Poems of French Canada. Translated by F. R. Scott. Burnaby, B.C.: Blackfish Press.
Raymond Souster, Extra Innings. Ottawa. Oberon Press.
George Woodcock, Anima, or, Swann Grown Old. A Cycle of Poems by George Woodcock, Windsor, Ontario: Black Moss Press, Canada

India">Indian poetry">India, in English">Indian poetry in English">in English

R. Parthasarathy, Rough Passage, Delhi: Oxford University Press
Meena Alexander, I Root My Name, Calcutta: Writers Workshop, India.

Ireland">Irish poetry">Ireland

Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: The Second Voyage, including "Deaths and Engines", Oldcastle: The Gallery Press
Harry Clifton, The Walls of Carthage Oldcastle: The Gallery Press,
Paul Muldoon, Mules, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
Frank Ormsby, A Store of Candles, including "Passing the Crematorium", Oldcastle: Gallery Press
Tom Paulin, A State of Justice, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom

New Zealand">New Zealand literature">New Zealand

Bill Manhire, How to Take Off Your Clothes at the Picnic
Lauris Edmond, The Pear Tree: Poems
R. Ensing, editor, Private Gardens, anthology of New Zealand women poets
Kendrick Smithyman, Dwarf with a Billiard Cue, Auckland: Auckland University Press and Oxford University Press
Ian Wedde, Spells for Coming Out, New Zealand

South Africa">South African poetry">South Africa

Mafika Gwala, ''Jol'iinkomo''

United Kingdom">English poetry">United Kingdom

Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
Kamau Brathwaite, Mother Poem
Joseph Brodsky: Poems and Translations, Keele: University of Keele Russian-American
Donald Davies, To Scorch or Freeze
Carol Ann Duffy and Adrian Henri, Beauty and the Beast
Elaine Feinstein:
* Some Unease and Angels, Hutchinson
* Selected Poems, University Center, Michigan, Green River Press
W. S. Graham, Implements in their Places
Michael Hamburger, Real Estate
Adrian Henri, City Hedges
Ted Hughes, Gaudete, derived from an abandoned film scenario, the book has elements of a poetic novel, narrative poem and verse play
Elizabeth Jennings, Consequently I Rejoice
Norman MacCaig, Tree of Strings
Sorley MacLean, pen name of Somhairle MacGill-Eain, Spring Tide and Neap Tide , in Gaelic and English
Paul Muldoon, Mules, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
Tom Paulin, A State of Justice, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
Kathleen Raine, The Oval Portrait, and Other Poems
Peter Scupham, The Hinterland
R. S. Thomas, The Way of It
Anthony Thwaite, ''A Portion for Foxes''

United States">American poetry">United States

A. R. Ammons:
* Highgate Road
* The Selected Poems: 1951-1977
* The Snow Poems
John Ashbery, Houseboat Days
Ted Berrigan:
* Clear The Range
* Nothing For You
John Berryman, Henry's Fate and Other Poems, 1967-1972, with 45 previously unpublished "Dream Songs"
Joseph Payne Brennan, The Riddle
Frank Bidart, The Book of the Body
Elizabeth Bishop, Geography III, which includes "In the Waiting Room," "The Moose," and the villanelle, "One Art"
Joseph Brodsky: A Part of Speech Russian-American
Robert Bly, This Body is Made of Camphor and Gopherwood
Billy Collins, Pokerface
Frank Belknap Long, In Mayan Splendor
Michael S. Harper, Images of Kin, won the Melville-Cane Award from the Poetry Society of America; nominated for the National Book Award
Robert Lowell, Day by Day
W. S. Merwin:
* The Compass Flower, New York: Atheneum
* Translator, Vertical Poetry, poems by Roberto Juarroz; San Francisco: Kayak
W. S. Merwin and J. Moussaieff Mason, translators, Sanskrit Love Poetry, New York: Columbia University Press
Michael Palmer, Without Music
Carl Rakosi, My Experience in Parnassus
Charles Reznikoff, Poems 1937-1975
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Prussian Nights, translated into English from the original Russian by Robert Conquest; first written in 1951; first published in 1974
Gary Soto, ''The Elements of San Joaquin''

Works published in other languages

Listed by language and often by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:

Denmark">Danish literature">Denmark

Vita Andersen, Tryghedsnarkomaner
Jørgen Gustava Brandt, Ophold
Klaus Høeck:
* Projekt Perseus, publisher: Gyldendal
* Ulrike Marie Meinhof, publisher: Gyldendal
Vagn Lundbye, Digte 1977
Jess Ornsbo, Digte uden arbejde
Charlotte Strandgaard, ''Naesten kun om kaerlighed''

French language

Canada">Canadian poetry">Canada, in French

Denise Boucher and Madeleine Gagnon, Retailles
Claude Gavreau, Ouvres créatrices complètes
Michel Leclerc, La Traversée du réel
Pierre Nepveu, Épisodes, Montréal: l'Hexagone

France">French poetry">France

Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
Yves Bonnefoy, Rue Traversière
André du Bouchet, Air
Alain Delahaye, L'etre perdu
Philippe Denis, Malgré la bouche
Roger Giroux, published posthumously :
* S
* L'arbre le Temps suivi le Lieu-Je et de Lettre
Eugene Guilleveic, Du domaine
Emmanuel Hocquard, Album d'images de la Villa Harris
Georges Perec, Alphabets
Jacques Roubaud, Autobiographie chapitre dix
Alain Veinstein, ''Recherche des dispositions anciennes''

German language

East Germany">German literature">East Germany

Sarah Kirsch, Rückenwind, love poems
Paul Günter Krohn, ''Alle meine Namen''

West Germany">German literature">West Germany

, Jokers Farewell
Gotthard de Beauclair, Zeit, Überzeit
Rolf Haufs, Die Geschwindigkeit eines einzigen Tages
Karl Krowlow, Der Einfachheit halber
Norbert Mecklenburg, Naturlyrik und Gesellschaft Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta

Hebrew">Hebrew literature">Hebrew

Nathan Alterman, a posthumous book of poems
O. Bernstein, a book of poems
Simon Halkin, a book of the collected poems and works
Hurvitz, a book of poems
Shimshon Meltzer, a book of the collected poems and works
Gabriel Preil, a book of poems
Dalia Ravikovitch, a book of poems
Yonatan Ratosh, a book of poems
Shin Shalom, a book of poems
Y. Wallach, a book of collected poems
Meir Wieseltier, a book of poems
Avot Yeshurun, a book of poems
Zussman, a posthumous book of poems

India">Indian poetry">India

In each section, listed in alphabetical order by first name:

Malayalam">Malayalam poetry">Malayalam

Sugathakumari, ''Raathrimazha''

Oriya">Oriya poetry">Oriya

Mohan Upendra Thakur, Baji Uthal Murali
Rajendra Kishore Panda:
* Satadru Anek, Cuttack: Agradoot
* Ghunakshara, Cuttack: Cuttack Students' Store

Sindhi">Sindhi poetry">Sindhi

Hari Daryani, Pala Pala Jo Parlau
Harumal Isardas Sadarangani, Cikha
Parsram Rohra, ''O Nava Halaina Vara''

Urdu">Urdu poetry">Urdu

Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi Dhoop Aur Chandni - Collection of poems published by Radha Krishan Sehgal, Bazm-e-Seemab, J 5/21, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi in 1977.

Other languages in India

K. Satchidanandan, Kavita, ; Malayalam-language
Nilmani Phookan; Assamese-language:
* Golapi Jamur Lagna, Guwahati, Assam: Bani Prakash
* Editor, Kuri Satikar Asomiya Kavita, an anthology of modern Assamese poetry; Guwahati, Assam: Asom Prakashan Parishad
Siddayya Puranika, Vacanodyana, modern vachana poetry, Kannada-language

Italy">Italian poetry">Italy

Bartolo Cattafi, Marzo e le sue idi
Giovanni Guidici, Il male de creditori
Tommaso Landolfi, Il tradimento
Eugenio Montale, Tutte le poesie, publisher: Mondadori
Maria Luisa Spaziani, ''Transito con catene''

Norway">Norwegian literature">Norway

Hans Børli, Vinden ser aldri pa veviserne
Jan Magnus Bruheim, Lyrespelaren
Gunvor Hofmo, Hva fanger natten
Peter R. Holm, I disse bilder
Stein Mehren, Det trettende stjernebilde
Sigmund Skard, Ord mot mørkret
Helge Vatsend, ''Livets bok''

Portuguese language

Portugal">Portuguese poetry">Portugal

Ruy de Moura Belo, Despeço-me da terra da alegria
Herberto Helder, Cobra
António Ramos Rosa, Boca Incompleta
Sophia Andresen, O Nome das Coisas
Fiama Brandão, Homenagem à Literatura
Liberto Cruz, Distància
Vitorino Nemésio, ''Sapateia Açoriana''

Brazil">Brazilian literature">Brazil

Carlos Nejar, Árvore do mundo
Décio Pignatari
* Poesia / Pois é / Poesia
* Comunicacao poética
Murilo Mendes, a posthumous collection of poems edited by João Cabral de Melo Neto, with a study by José Guilherme Merquior

Russia">Russian poetry">Russia

Arkadi Kuleshov, a book of poems
Bella Akhmadulina:
* Candle
* Dreams of Georgia
Alexander Mezhirov, Очертания вещей, Russia, Soviet Union
Valentin Sorokin, a book of poems
Stepan Shchipachev, a book of poems
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Prussian Nights, narrative poem, much of it composed in his head when he was in concentration camps
Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a book of poems
"esser-known poets who attracted attention":
* Konstantin Vanshenkin
* Anatoly Zhigulin
* Rimma Kazakova
* Viktor Bokov
* Maya Borisova
* Stanslav Zolotsev

Spanish language

Spain">Spanish poetry">Spain

Francisco Brines, Insistencia en Luzbel
Matilde Camus, Cancionero de Liébana
José María Valverde, ''Ser de palabra''

American poetry|Latin America]]

Mario Benedetti, La casa y el ladrillo, Uruguay
Antonio Cisneros, el libro de dios y de los húngaros
Jaime Sabines, Nuevo recuento de poemas
Efraín Huerta, Circuito interior
David Huerta, ''Cuadernos de noviembre''

Yiddish">Yiddish literature">Yiddish

Dovid Hofshteyn, a two-volume selection of poems
Josl Lerner, Till Dawn Breaks, partly written in a German-Romanian death camp during World War II
, My Mother's Resemblance
Hirsch Osherovich, Song in a Labyrinth
Shloyme Roitman, My Israel Shofar
Ephraim Roitman, The Earth Sings
Motl Saktzier, With a Burned Pencil, about his experiences in Soviet gulags
M. M. Shafir, Words of Endearment
Avrom Sutzkever, Poems from My Diary
Rajzel Żychlińsky, ''The Sun of November''

Other languages

Stanisław Barańczak, Ja wiem, ze to niesluszne, Paris: Instytut Literacki; Polish
Anne-Marie Berglund, Luftberusningen, Sweden
Chen Yi, Selected Poems; China
Odysseus Elytis, Signalbook ; Greece
Ndoc Gjetja, Qëndresa ; Albania
Gozo Yoshimasu, river, Written in Cursive Characters; Japan
Lars Gustafsson, Sonetter; Sweden
Per E. Rundquist, Men störst av allt är kärleken till vem; (Sweden
Piotr Sommer, W krześle; Poland
Marlene van Niekerk, Sprokkelster; South Africa
Wen Wu-pin, Battle Songs of Tachai; China
Yasuo Irisawa, Moon and Other Poems; Japan

Awards and honors

Nobel Prize in Literature: Vicente Aleixandre

Births

April 18 — Ilya Kaminsky, Soviet-born Russian- and English-language poet
September 25 — Sole, American hip hop artist
Jenni Fagan, Scottish novelist and poet

Deaths

Birth years link to the corresponding " in poetry" article:

January 5 — Artur Adson, 87, Estonian poet and critic
January 21 — Sandro Penna, 70, Italian
February 2 — Rashid Hussein, 41, Palestinian Arabic poet in the United States, in fire
April 7 — Elizabeth Daryush, 96, English poet, daughter of Robert Bridges
April 11 — Jacques Prévert, 77, French
September 12 — Robert Lowell, 60, American, from a heart attack
November 30 — Miloš Crnjanski, 84, Serbian poet and novelist
December 18 — Louis Untermeyer, 92, American author, poet, anthologist and editor
December 30 — Katherine C. Biddle, 87, American
Also — Gitaujali Badruddin, 16, Indian girl poet