1985 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature.
Events
- January 16 - Canadian Poetry Association founded.
- May - The term "New Formalism" is first used in the article "The Yuppie Poet" in e AWP Newsletter in an attack on the poetry movement. The term is adopted as the name of the movement by those in it.
- November 11 - A memorial to sixteen English poets of World War I is unveiled in Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.
- A memorial to Hugh MacDiarmid is unveiled near his home at Langholm, Scotland.Boulevard magazine founded at St. Louis University by Richard W. Burgin.
- Influential Chinese literary magazine Tamen founded with Han Dong as chief editor, with close collaboration of other Chinese writers, including Ding Dang, Yu Jian, Xiaojun, Su Tong, Naigu and Xiaohai. Nine issues will be published between 1985–1988 and 1993-1995 and in 2002 Tamen will be revived as a webzine.
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 Gray, Selected Poems 1963-1983
- Chris Wallace-Crabbe, The Amorous Cannibal, Oxford: Oxford University Press
- W. Wilde, et al., editors, ''Oxford Companion to Australian Literature''
Canada">Canadian literature">Canada
- Roo Borson, The Transparence of November / Snow, American-Canadian
- Matt Cohen, In Search of Leonardo
- Dorothy Livesay, Beyond War: The Poetry.
- Anne Michaels, The Weight of Oranges
- P. K. Page, The Glass Air: Selected Poems
- Ajmer Rode, Blue Meditations, by a Punjabi poet living and published in Canada and writing in English; London, Ontario: Third Eye Publications,
- Joe Rosenblatt, Poetry Hotel, Selected Poems . McClelland & Stewart.
- Duncan Campbell Scott.Powassan’s Drum: Selected Poems of Duncan Campbell Scott. Raymond Souster and Douglas Lochhead, eds. Ottawa: Tecumseh."
- Elizabeth Smart, In the Meantime
- Raymond Souster, Flight of the Roller-Coaster: Poems for Younger Readers. Ottawa: Oberon Press.
- Raymond Souster and James Deahl. Into This Dark Earth. Toronto: Unfinished Monument Press.
India">Indian poetry">India, in English">Indian poetry in English">in English
- Kamala Das, The Anamalai Poems
- Hari Mohan Prasad, Indian Poetry in English, New Delhi: Sterling Pub. Ltd.
- Ajmer Rode, Blue Meditations, by a Punjabi poet living and published in Canada and writing in English; Blue Meditations, London, Ontario: Third Eye Publications,
Ireland">Irish poetry">Ireland
- Paul Durcan:
- * The Selected Paul Durcan, second edition, including "The Hat Factory", "Tullynoe: Tete-a-Tete in the Parish Priest's Parlour"
- * The Berlin Wall Cafe, including "the Haulier's Wife Meets Jesus on the Road Near Moone", and "Around the Corner from Francis Bacon"; Belfast: Blackstaff Press, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
- John Ennis, The Burren Days, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press,
- Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United States
- Thomas Kinsella, Songs of the Psyche, Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
- Michael Longley, Poems 1963–1983, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
- Richard Murphy, The Price of Stone, including "Morning Call"
New Zealand">New Zealand literature">New Zealand
- Ursula Bethell, Collected Poems, edited and with a substantial introduction by Vincent O'Sullivan, Auckland: Oxford University Press
- Alistair Campbell, Soul Traps, Pukerua Bay: Te Kotare Press
- Janet Charman, Marina Bachmann and Sue Fitchett, Drawing Together, New Women's Press
- Bob Orr, Red Trees
- Kendrick Smithyman, Stories About Wooden Keyboards, winner of the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry
- Ian Wedde and Harvey McQueen, editors, Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse, anthology, revised edition
United Kingdom">English poetry">United Kingdom
- James Berry (poet), Chain of Days
- Carol Ann Duffy, Standing Female Nude
- Douglas Dunn, Elegies
- Paul Durcan, The Berlin Wall Cafe, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
- D. J. Enright, Instant Chronicles
- Roy Fuller:
- * New and Collected Poems 1934–1984, see also Collected Poems 1962
- * Subsequent to Summer
- Tony Harrison:
- * Dramatic Verse, 1973-85
- * The Fire Gap
- * V
- Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United States
- John Heath-Stubbs, The Immolation of Aleph
- Thomas Kinsella, Songs of the Psyche, Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
- Liz Lochhead, True Confessions and New Cliches
- Michael Longley, Poems 1963–1983, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
- Norman MacCaig, Collected Poems
- Derek Mahon, Antarctica,, Gallery Press, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
- Peter Reading, Ukulele Music
- Peter Redgrove, The Man Named East, and Other New Poems
- Jeremy Reed, New
- Carol Rumens, Direct Dialling
- Lisa St Aubin de Terán, The High Place
- Stephen Spender:
- * Collected Poems 1928–1985
- * The Journals of Stephen Spender, 1939–83
- R.S. Thomas, Ingrowing Thoughts
- Hugo Williams, Writing Home
- Benjamin Zephaniah, ''The Dread Affair''
United States">American poetry">United States
- John Ashbery, April Galleons
- Paul Blackburn, The Collected Poems of Paul Blackburn
- Joseph Payne Brennan, Sixty Selected Poems
- Raymond Carver, Where Water Comes Together With Other Water
- Maxine Chernoff, New Faces of 1952
- Amy Clampitt, What the Light was Like
- Michael S. Harper, Healing Song for the Inner Ear
- Robert Hayden, Collected Poems
- Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United States
- William Logan, Difficulty
- James Merrill, Late Settings
- Lorine Niedecker, From This Condensery and The Granite Pail
- Grace Paley, Leaning Forward
- Mary Jo Salter, Henry Purcell in Japan, Knopf
- Gjertrud Schnackenberg, ''The Lamplit Answer''
Works published in other languages
Listed 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 poetry">Denmark
- Niels Frank, ÿjeblikket, the author's first book of poetry
- Klaus Høeck, Jævndøgn, with Asger Schnack, publisher: Schønberg; Denmark
- Søren Ulrik Thomsen, Mit lys brænder. Omrids af en ny poetik, criticism; Denmark
French language
- Claude Esteban, Le Nom et la Demeure, Flammarion; France
- Abdellatif Laabi, Discours sur la colline arabe. L'Harmattan, Paris, Moroccan author writing in and published in France
- Jean-Guy Pilon, Comme eau retenue: poèmes 1954-1977, Montréal: l'Hexagone; Canada
Hungary">Hungarian poetry">Hungary
- György Petri, ''Azt hiszik''
India">Indian poetry">India
Listed in alphabetical order by first name:- Amarjit Chandan, Kavitavaan, Navyug, Delhi; Punjabi-language
- Bernardino Evaristo Mendes, also known as B. E. Mendes, Konkani Sahitik Nibondh; Konkani-language* Jaya Mehta, Akashman Tarao Chup Chhe; Gujarati-language
- Kedarnath Singh, Pratinidhi Kavitayen’, Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan; Hindi-language
- Nilmani Phookan, Nrityarata Prithivi, Guwahati, Assam: Barua Book Agency Assamese-language
- Thangjam Ibopishak Singh, Norok Patal Prithivi, Imphal: V.I. Publication; Meitei language
Poland">Polish poetry">Poland
- Juliusz Erazm Bolek, Teksty
- Ewa Lipska, Przechowalnia ciemnosci, ; Warsaw: Przedswit / Warszawska Oficyna Poetow i Malarzy
- Adam Zagajewski, Jechac do Lwowa, illustrations by Józef Czapski; London: Aneks
Spain">Spanish poetry">Spain
- Matilde Camus, ''Cristales como enigmas''
Other languages
- Christoph Buchwald, general editor, and Ursula Krechel, guest editor, Luchterhand Jahrbuch der Lyrik 1985, publisher: Luchterhand Literaturverlag; anthology
- Haim Gouri, Mahbarot Elul, Israeli writing in Hebrew
- Natalio Hernández, Xochikoskatl, Mexican poet writing in Nahuatl
- Nizar Qabbani, Syrian, Arabic-language poet:
- * Love Does Not Stop at Red Lights
- * ''Insane Poems''
Awards and honors
Australia">Australian poetry">Australia
- C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Kevin Hart, Your Shadow; Rosemary Dobson, The Three Fates
- Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, Kevin Hart, Your Shadow
- Mary Gilmore Prize: Doris Brett, ''The Truth about Unicorns''
Canada">Canadian poetry">Canada
- Gerald Lampert Award: Paulette Jiles, Celestial Navigation
- 1985 Governor General's Awards: Fred Wah, Waiting for Saskatchewan ; André Roy, Action writing
- Pat Lowther Award: Paulette Jiles, Celestial Navigation
- Prix Émile-Nelligan: Anne-Marie Alonzo, ''Bleus de mine''
United Kingdom">English poetry">United Kingdom
- Cholmondeley Award: Dannie Abse, Peter Redgrove, Brian Taylor
- Eric Gregory Award: Graham Mort, Adam Thorpe, Pippa Little, James Harpur, Simon North, Julian May
United States">American poetry">United States
- Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: Liz Rosenberg, The Fire Music
- American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Poetry, Robert Penn Warren
- AML Award for poetry to Emma Lou Thayne
- Bernard F. Connors Prize for Poetry: James Schuyler, "A Few Days"
- Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress : Gwendolyn Brooks appointed this year.
- Frost Medal: Robert Penn Warren
- Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: Carolyn Kizer: Yin
- Whiting Awards : Douglas Crase, Jorie Graham, Linda Gregg, James Schuyler
- American Poets: Amy Clampitt and Maxine Kumin
Births
- September 28 – Helen Mort, English poet
- December 22 – Kae Tempest, English performance poet
Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding " in poetry" article:- January 16 – Robert Fitzgerald, 74, American poet and translator from classical languages
- January 30 – F. R. Scott, 85, Canadian poet and constitutional expert
- February 22 – Salvador Espriu, 71, Spanish Catalan poet
- March 30 – J. V. Cunningham, American poet, literary critic and teacher
- April 17 – Basil Bunting, 85, English poet
- May 12 – Josephine Miles, 73, American poet and literary critic
- May 25 – Robert Nathan, 91, of kidney failure, American novelist and poet
- August 14 – Alfred Hayes, 74, of meningitis, English-born American writer of the labor song "Joe Hill"
- August 19 – Yamazaki Hōdai 山崎方代, Japanese, Shōwa period tanka poet
- September 22 – D. J. Opperman, 70, South African Afrikaans poet
- October 26 – Kikuko Kawakami 川上 喜久子, Japanese, Shōwa period novelist, short-story writer and poet, a woman
- October 31 – Nikos Engonopoulos, 81, Greek poet
- November 25 – Geoffrey Grigson, 80, English poet
- December 2 – Philip Larkin, 63, of throat cancer, English poet
- December 7 – Robert Graves, 90, English-born writer and poet
- December 22 – Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon, Indian, Malayalam-language poet