1696 in poetry

• Tuscan poet Vincenzo da Filicaja becomes governor of Volterra.

• Aphra Behn - The Unfortunate Happy Lady
• John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, Poems, (&c.) On Several Occasions: with Valentinian; a Tragedy, London: Printed by Jacob Tonson, posthumously published^[1]

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• July 14 – William Oldys (died 1761), English antiquary, bibliographer and poet
• Matthew Green (died 1737), English writer of light verse and customs official

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• January 3 – Mary Mollineux (born c.1651), English poet
• August 9 – Wacław Potocki (born 1621), Polish nobleman (Szlachta), moralist, poet and writer
• September 8 – Henry Birkhead (born 1617), English academic, lawyer, Latin poet and founder of the Oxford Chair of Poetry
• November 26 – Gregório de Matos (born 1636), Brazilian Baroque poet

• List of years in poetry
• List of years in literature
• 17th century in poetry
• 17th century in literature
• Poetry