1977 in poetry

• January – James Dickey, composes a poem he reads at new United States President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural gala (although not at the inauguration itself).^[1]
• 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 (Whitehouse v. Lemon) brought by Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers and Listeners Association at the Old Bailey in London.^[2]
• 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.

Summarize Timeline Top Qs Fact Check

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

• Robert Adamson Cross The Border
• Jennifer Maiden, Mortal Details, Rigmarole
• Les Murray, Ethnic Radio, Angus & Robertson^[3]
• John Tranter, Crying in Early Infancy: 100 Sonnets, Makar Press

• 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.^[4]
• Roo Borson, Landfall, ISBN 0-920110-32-0 American-Canadian
• Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies' Man
• Isabella Valancy Crawford, Hugh and Ion, Glenn Clever ed. (Ottawa: Borealis). ISBN 978-0-919594-77-7
• 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.^[5] ISBN 0-8112-0642-4
• Irving Layton, The Covenant. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.^[5]
• Dorothy Livesay, Right Hand Left Hand. Erin, ON: Porcepic.^[6]
• Pat Lowther, A Stone Diary
• Miriam Mandel, Station 14. Edmonton: NeWest Press.^[7] ISBN 0-920316-08-5 ISBN 978-0920316085
• Charles Sangster, The Angel Guest and Other Poems and Lyrics, edited by Frank M. Tierney (Tecumseh)^[8]
• F. R. Scott, Poems of French Canada. Translated by F. R. Scott. Burnaby, B.C.: Blackfish Press.^[9]
• Raymond Souster, Extra Innings. Ottawa. Oberon Press.^[10]
• George Woodcock, Anima, or, Swann Grown Old. A Cycle of Poems by George Woodcock, Windsor, Ontario: Black Moss Press, Canada^[11]

• R. Parthasarathy, Rough Passage, Delhi: Oxford University Press^[12]
• Meena Alexander, I Root My Name, Calcutta: Writers Workshop, India.^[13]

• Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French,^[14] Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
• Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: The Second Voyage, including "Deaths and Engines",^[15] Oldcastle: The Gallery Press^[16]
• Harry Clifton, The Walls of Carthage Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-0-902996-51-9
• Paul Muldoon, Mules,^[14] Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
• Frank Ormsby, A Store of Candles, including "Passing the Crematorium", Oldcastle: Gallery Press^[15]
• Tom Paulin, A State of Justice,^[14] Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom

• Bill Manhire, How to Take Off Your Clothes at the Picnic
• Lauris Edmond, The Pear Tree: Poems ^[17]
• R. Ensing, editor, Private Gardens, anthology of New Zealand women poets^[18]
• Kendrick Smithyman, Dwarf with a Billiard Cue, Auckland: Auckland University Press and Oxford University Press
• Ian Wedde, Spells for Coming Out, New Zealand

• Mafika Gwala, Jol'iinkomo

• Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French,^[14] Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
• Kamau Brathwaite, Mother Poem
• Joseph Brodsky: Poems and Translations, Keele: University of Keele^[19] Russian-American (but published in the United Kingdom; see United States section for a book published there)
• Donald Davies, To Scorch or Freeze
• Carol Ann Duffy and Adrian Henri, Beauty and the Beast^[20]
• Elaine Feinstein:
  • Some Unease and Angels,^[14] Hutchinson
  • Selected Poems, University Center, Michigan, Green River Press
• W. S. Graham, Implements in their Places
• Michael Hamburger, Real Estate
• Adrian Henri, City Hedges^[14]
• Ted Hughes, Gaudete,^[14] derived from an abandoned film scenario, the book has elements of a poetic novel, narrative poem and verse play
• Elizabeth Jennings, Consequently I Rejoice^[14]
• Norman MacCaig, Tree of Strings^[14]
• Sorley MacLean, pen name of Somhairle MacGill-Eain, Spring Tide and Neap Tide [Reothairt is Contraigh], in Gaelic and English^[14]
• Paul Muldoon, Mules,^[14] Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
• Tom Paulin, A State of Justice,^[14] Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
• Kathleen Raine, The Oval Portrait, and Other Poems^[14]
• Peter Scupham, The Hinterland^[14]
• R. S. Thomas, The Way of It
• Anthony Thwaite, A Portion for Foxes^[14]

• 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" (posthumous)
• Joseph Payne Brennan, The Riddle (Fantome Press)
• 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^[21] Russian-American (see United Kingdom section for a book published there)
• 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 (1977), won the Melville-Cane Award from the Poetry Society of America; nominated for the National Book Award^[22]
• Robert Lowell, Day by Day
• W. S. Merwin:
  • The Compass Flower, New York: Atheneum^[23]
  • Translator, Vertical Poetry, poems by Roberto Juarroz; San Francisco: Kayak (reprinted in 1988; San Francisco: North Point Press)^[23]
• W. S. Merwin and J. Moussaieff Mason, translators, Sanskrit Love Poetry, New York: Columbia University Press (published in 1981 as Peacock's Egg: Love Poems from Ancient India, San Francisco: North Point Press)^[23]
• Michael Palmer, Without Music (Black Sparrow Press)
• Carl Rakosi, My Experience in Parnassus
• Charles Reznikoff, Poems 1937-1975 (published posthumously)
• 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^[24]

Summarize Timeline Top Qs Fact Check

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:

• Vita Andersen, Tryghedsnarkomaner
• Jørgen Gustava Brandt, Ophold
• Klaus Høeck:
  • Projekt Perseus, publisher: Gyldendal^[25]
  • Ulrike Marie Meinhof, publisher: Gyldendal^[25]
• Vagn Lundbye, Digte 1977
• Jess Ornsbo, Digte uden arbejde
• Charlotte Strandgaard, Naesten kun om kaerlighed

• Denise Boucher and Madeleine Gagnon, Retailles
• Claude Gavreau, Ouvres créatrices complètes (posthumous)
• Michel Leclerc, La Traversée du réel
• Pierre Nepveu, Épisodes, Montréal: l'Hexagone^[26]

• Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French,^[14] Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
• Yves Bonnefoy, Rue Traversière
• André du Bouchet, Air (1950–1953)^[27]
• Alain Delahaye, L'etre perdu^[27]
• Philippe Denis, Malgré la bouche^[27]
• Roger Giroux, published posthumously (died 1973):
  • S^[27]
  • L'arbre le Temps suivi le Lieu-Je et de Lettre^[27]
• Eugene Guilleveic, Du domaine^[27]
• Emmanuel Hocquard, Album d'images de la Villa Harris^[27]
• Georges Perec, Alphabets
• Jacques Roubaud, Autobiographie chapitre dix^[27]
• Alain Veinstein, Recherche des dispositions anciennes^[27]

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

• Herbert Asmodi [de], 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 (scholarship)^[28]

• Nathan Alterman, a posthumous book of poems^[29]
• O. Bernstein, a book of poems^[29]
• Simon Halkin, a book of the collected poems and works^[29]
• Hurvitz, a book of poems^[29]
• Shimshon Meltzer, a book of the collected poems and works^[29]
• Gabriel Preil, a book of poems^[29]
• Dalia Ravikovitch, a book of poems^[29]
• Yonatan Ratosh, a book of poems^[29]
• Shin Shalom, a book of poems^[29]
• Y. Wallach, a book of collected poems^[29]
• Meir Wieseltier, a book of poems^[29]
• Avot Yeshurun, a book of poems^[29]
• Zussman, a posthumous book of poems^[29]

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

• Sugathakumari, Raathrimazha (Night Rain)

• Mohan Upendra Thakur, Baji Uthal Murali^[30]
• Rajendra Kishore Panda:
  • Satadru Anek, Cuttack: Agradoot^[31]
  • Ghunakshara, Cuttack: Cuttack Students' Store^[31]

• Hari Daryani, Pala Pala Jo Parlau^[30]
• Harumal Isardas Sadarangani, Cikha^[30]
• Parsram Rohra, O Nava Halaina Vara^[30]

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

• K. Satchidanandan, Kavita, ("Poetry"); Malayalam-language^[32]
• Nilmani Phookan; Assamese-language:
  • Golapi Jamur Lagna, Guwahati, Assam: Bani Prakash^[33]
  • Editor, Kuri Satikar Asomiya Kavita, an anthology of modern Assamese poetry; Guwahati, Assam: Asom Prakashan Parishad^[33]
• Siddayya Puranika, Vacanodyana, modern vachana poetry, Kannada-language^[30]

• Bartolo Cattafi, Marzo e le sue idi
• Giovanni Guidici, Il male de creditori
• Tommaso Landolfi, Il tradimento
• Eugenio Montale, Tutte le poesie, publisher: Mondadori^[34] (enlarged edition published posthumously in 1984)
• Maria Luisa Spaziani, Transito con catene

• 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

• Ruy de Moura Belo, Despeço-me da terra da alegria ("I Bid Farewell to the Land of Happiness")^[35]

• 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

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

• Arkadi Kuleshov, a book of poems^[29]
• Bella Akhmadulina:
  • Candle
  • Dreams of Georgia
• Alexander Mezhirov, Очертания вещей ("Outline of things"), Russia, Soviet Union
• Valentin Sorokin, a book of poems^[29]
• Stepan Shchipachev, a book of poems^[29]
• 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^[29]
• "[L]esser-known poets who attracted attention":^[29]
  • Konstantin Vanshenkin^[29]
  • Anatoly Zhigulin^[29]
  • Rimma Kazakova^[29]
  • Viktor Bokov^[29]
  • Maya Borisova^[29]
  • Stanslav Zolotsev^[29]

• Francisco Brines, Insistencia en Luzbel
• Matilde Camus, Cancionero de Liébana ("Collection of verse of Liebana")
• José María Valverde, Ser de palabra

• Mario Benedetti, La casa y el ladrillo ("The House and the Brick"), Uruguay^[36]
• Antonio Cisneros, el libro de dios y de los húngaros (Peru)
• Jaime Sabines, Nuevo recuento de poemas (Mexico)
• Efraín Huerta, Circuito interior (Mexico)
• David Huerta, Cuadernos de noviembre (Mexico)

• Dovid Hofshteyn, a two-volume selection of poems^[29]
• Josl Lerner, Till Dawn Breaks, partly written in a German-Romanian death camp during World War II
• Chaim Maltinsky [ru], 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

• Stanisław Barańczak, Ja wiem, ze to niesluszne ("I Know It's Not Right"), Paris: Instytut Literacki; Polish^[37]
• Anne-Marie Berglund, Luftberusningen, Sweden
• Chen Yi, Selected Poems; China
• Odysseus Elytis, Signalbook (Σηματολόγιον); Greece
• Ndoc Gjetja, Qëndresa ("Center"); Albania^[38]
• 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^[39]
• Marlene van Niekerk, Sprokkelster; South Africa
• Wen Wu-pin, Battle Songs of Tachai; China
• Yasuo Irisawa, Moon and Other Poems; Japan

• Nobel Prize in Literature: Vicente Aleixandre (Spain)

• 1977 Governor General's Awards

• Eric Gregory Award: Tony Flynn, Michael Vince, David Cooke, Douglas Marshall, Melissa Murray
• Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry: Norman Nicholson

• AML Award for Poetry to Linda Sillitoe for "The Old Philosopher, Letter to a Four-Year-Old Daughter" and Arthur Henry King for "The Field Behind Holly House"
• Bollingen Prize: David Ignatow
• National Book Award for Poetry: Richard Eberhart, Collected Poems, 1930-1976
• Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: James Merrill, Divine Comedies
• Walt Whitman Award: Lauren Shakely, Guilty Bystander
• Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets: Louis Coxe

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