Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).
14 February – French poet Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard is discovered hiding under the bed of Mary, Queen of Scots. He is executed about a week later.
England
Anonymous, The Courte of Venus, publication year conjectural, revised from the 1538 edition, with several other ballads
Barnabe Googe, Eglogs, Epytaphes, and Sonettes (sources disagree on the year of publication; another source gives the year as 1562
Antonio Sebastiano Minturno, L'arte poetica, criticism
Giangiorgio Trissino, La poetica, Books 5–6 (Books 1–4 published in 1529), Italy
José de Anchieta, De Gestis Meni de Saa ("The deeds of Mem"), printed in Coimbra; written about 1560; Portuguese in Brazil
Pierre Ronsard, Trois livres du recueil de nouvelles poesies, France, criticism
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
Michael Drayton (died 1631), England
Heo Nanseolheon (died 1589), Korean scholar and poet who also wrote in Chinese, a woman
Pierre Matthieu (died 1621), French playwright, poet and historian
Joshua Sylvester (died 1618), England
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
William Baldwin, died (born c. 1515), English
Arthur Brooke, year of death uncertain (born unknown), English poet whose only known work was The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), considered to be William Shakespeare's chief source for his famous play Romeo and Juliet.
Martynas Mažvydas (born 1510), author and editor of the first printed book in the Lithuanian language, including the first poetry
Adam Reusner died sometime between this year and 1582 (born sometime from 1471 to 1496), German
Tani Soyo 谷宗養 died (born 1526), Japanese renga poet; a rival of Satomura Joha; son of Tani Sobuko
