Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).
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 ("They/Them") 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.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 Gray, Selected poems 1963-1983Chris Wallace-Crabbe, The Amorous Cannibal, Oxford: Oxford University PressW. Wilde, et al., editors, Oxford Companion to Australian Literature (scholarship)Roo Borson, The Transparence of November / Snow, ISBN 0-919627-30-7 (with Kim Maltman) American-CanadianMatt Cohen, In Search of LeonardoDorothy Livesay, Beyond War: The Poetry.Anne Michaels, The Weight of OrangesP. K. Page, The Glass Air: Selected Poems (an expanded edition published in 1991)Ajmer Rode, Blue Meditations, by a Punjabi poet living and published in Canada and writing in English; London, Ontario: Third Eye Publications, ISBN 0-919581-31-5Joe Rosenblatt, Poetry Hotel, Selected Poems (1963-1985). 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 MeantimeRaymond 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.Kamala Das, The Anamalai Poems ( Poetry in English ) 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, ISBN 0-919581-31-5Ireland
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 KingdomJohn Ennis, The Burren Days, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-0-904011-88-3Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United StatesThomas Kinsella, Songs of the Psyche, Irish poet published in the United KingdomMichael Longley, Poems 1963–1983, Northern Ireland poet published in the United KingdomRichard Murphy, The Price of Stone, including "Morning Call"New Zealand
Ursula Bethell, Collected Poems, edited and with a substantial introduction by Vincent O'Sullivan, Auckland: Oxford University Press (posthumous)Alistair Campbell, Soul Traps, Pukerua Bay: Te Kotare PressJanet Charman, Marina Bachmann and Sue Fitchett, Drawing Together, New Women's PressBob Orr, Red TreesKendrick Smithyman, Stories About Wooden Keyboards, winner of the New Zealand Book Award for PoetryIan Wedde and Harvey McQueen, editors, Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse, anthology, revised editionJames Berry (poet), Chain of DaysCarol Ann Duffy, Standing Female NudeDouglas Dunn, ElegiesPaul Durcan, The Berlin Wall Cafe, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, Northern Ireland poet published in the United KingdomD. J. Enright, Instant ChroniclesRoy Fuller:New and Collected Poems 1934–1984, see also Collected Poems 1962Subsequent to SummerTony Harrison:Dramatic Verse, 1973-85The Fire Gapv.Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United StatesJohn Heath-Stubbs, The Immolation of AlephThomas Kinsella, Songs of the Psyche, Irish poet published in the United KingdomLiz Lochhead, True Confessions and New ClichesMichael Longley, Poems 1963–1983, Northern Ireland poet published in the United KingdomNorman MacCaig, Collected PoemsDerek Mahon, Antarctica,, Gallery Press, Northern Ireland poet published in the United KingdomPeter Reading, Ukulele MusicPeter Redgrove, The Man Named East, and Other New PoemsJeremy Reed, NewCarol Rumens, Direct DiallingLisa St Aubin de Terán, The High PlaceStephen Spender:Collected Poems 1928–1985The Journals of Stephen Spender, 1939–83 (biographical)R.S. Thomas, Ingrowing ThoughtsHugo Williams, Writing HomeBenjamin Zephaniah, The Dread AffairJohn Ashbery, April GalleonsPaul Blackburn, The Collected Poems of Paul BlackburnJoseph Payne Brennan, Sixty Selected Poems (The New Establishment Press)Raymond Carver, Where Water Comes Together With Other WaterMaxine Chernoff, New Faces of 1952 (Ithaca House)Amy Clampitt, What the Light was LikeMichael S. Harper, Healing Song for the Inner EarRobert Hayden, Collected Poems (posthumously published)Seamus Heaney: From the Republic of Conscience, Amnesty International, Northern Ireland native at this time living in the United StatesWilliam Logan, DifficultyJames Merrill, Late SettingsLorine Niedecker, From This Condensery and The Granite Pail (posthumous)Grace Paley, Leaning ForwardMary Jo Salter, Henry Purcell in Japan, KnopfGjertrud Schnackenberg, The Lamplit AnswerListed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:
Niels Frank, ÿjeblikket, the author's first book of poetryKlaus Høeck, Jævndøgn, with Asger Schnack,; publisher: Schønberg; DenmarkSøren Ulrik Thomsen, Mit lys brænder. Omrids af en ny poetik ("In My Candle Burns: Outline of a New Poetics"), criticism; Denmark Claude Esteban, Le Nom et la Demeure, Flammarion; FranceAbdellatif Laabi, Discours sur la colline arabe. L'Harmattan, Paris, Moroccan author writing in and published in FranceJean-Guy Pilon, Comme eau retenue: poèmes 1954-1977, Montréal: l'Hexagone; CanadaGyörgy Petri, Azt hiszikListed in alphabetical order by first name:
Amarjit Chandan, Kavitavaan, Navyug, Delhi; Punjabi-languageBernardino Evaristo Mendes, also known as B. E. Mendes, Konkani Sahitik Nibondh; Konkani-language* Jaya Mehta, Akashman Tarao Chup Chhe; Gujarati-languageKedarnath Singh, Pratinidhi Kavitayen’, Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan; Hindi-languageNilmani Phookan, Nrityarata Prithivi, Guwahati, Assam: Barua Book Agency Assamese-languageThangjam Ibopishak Singh, Norok Patal Prithivi ("This Earth is Hell"), Imphal: V.I. Publication; Meitei languagePoland
Juliusz Erazm Bolek, TekstyEwa Lipska, Przechowalnia ciemnosci, ("Storage for Darkness"); Warsaw: Przedswit / Warszawska Oficyna Poetow i MalarzyAdam Zagajewski, Jechac do Lwowa ("To Travel to Lvov"), illustrations by Józef Czapski; London: AneksMatilde Camus, Cristales como enigmas ("Glasses as enigma")Christoph Buchwald, general editor, and Ursula Krechel, guest editor, Luchterhand Jahrbuch der Lyrik 1985 ("Luchterhand Poetry Yearbook 1985"), publisher: Luchterhand Literaturverlag; anthologyHaim Gouri, Mahbarot Elul ("Summer's End"), Israeli writing in HebrewNatalio Hernández, Xochikoskatl (Collar de flores, "floral necklace"), Mexican poet writing in NahuatlNizar Qabbani, Syrian, Arabic-language poet:Love Does Not Stop at Red LightsInsane PoemsC. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Kevin Hart, Your Shadow; Rosemary Dobson, The Three FatesKenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, Kevin Hart, Your ShadowMary Gilmore Prize: Doris Brett, The Truth about UnicornsGerald Lampert AwardSee 1985 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.Pat Lowther AwardCholmondeley Award: Dannie Abse, Peter Redgrove, Brian TaylorEric Gregory Award: Graham Mort, Adam Thorpe, Pippa Little, James Harpur, Simon North, Julian MayAgnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: Liz Rosenberg, The Fire MusicAmerican Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Poetry, Robert Penn WarrenAML Award for poetry to Emma Lou ThayneBernard F. Connors Prize for Poetry: James Schuyler, "A Few Days"Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (later the post would be called "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress"): Gwendolyn Brooks appointed this year.Frost Medal: Robert Penn WarrenPulitzer Prize for Poetry: Carolyn Kizer: YinWhiting Awards (inaugural year): Douglas Crase, Jorie Graham, Linda Gregg, James SchuylerFellowship of the Academy of American Poets: Amy Clampitt and Maxine KuminDecember 22 – Kate Tempest, English performance poetHelen Mort, English poetBirth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
January 31 – F. R. Scott, 85, Canadian poetJanuary 16 – Robert Fitzgerald, 74 (born 1910), American poet and translator from classical languagesMarch 30 – J. V. Cunningham (born 1911), American poet, literary critic and teacherApril 17 – Basil Bunting, 85, English poetMay 12 – Josephine Miles, 73 (born 1911), American poet and literary criticMay 25 – Robert Nathan, 91, of kidney failure, American novelist and poetAugust 14 – Alfred Hayes, 74, of meningitis, English-born American writer of the labor song "Joe Hill"August 19 – Yamazaki Hōdai 山崎方代 (born 1914), Japanese, Showa period tanka poetSeptember 22 – D. J. Opperman, 70, South African Afrikaans poetOctober 26 – Kikuko Kawakami 川上 喜久子 (born 1904), Japanese, Showa period novelist, short-story writer and poet, a womanOctober 31 – Nikos Engonopoulos, 81, Greek poetNovember 25 – Geoffrey Grigson, 80, English poetDecember 2 – Philip Larkin, 63, of throat cancer, English poetDecember 7 – Robert Graves, 90 (born 1895), English-born writer and poetDecember 22 – Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon (born 1911), Indian, Malayalam-language poet 