February 16 – Announcement that 300 poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge have been discovered.February 17 – Sotheby's announce discovery of four Walt Whitman notebooks.March 1 – The Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea (Wales) is opened by Jimmy Carter.May 26 – Cannes Film Festival première of movie Dead Man, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, about a man named William Blake on a trek through the American West who is taken as the resurrected Romantic poet by a character named Nobody.Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:
Jennifer Harrison: Mosaics & Mirrors: Composite poems (Black Pepper)Chris Mansell, Day Easy Sunlight Fine in Hot Collation (Penguin, Melbourne) ISBN 978-0-14-024540-0Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Selected Poems 1956-1994, Oxford: Oxford University Press, AustraliaMargaret Atwood, Morning in the Burned House, McClelland & StewartAnne Carson, Plainwater: Essays and Poetry, KnopfRoy Miki, Random Access File, CanadaJohn Reibetanz, Morning WatchJoe Rosenblatt, A Tentacled Mother. (in the original plus new sonnets) Exile.Joe Rosenblatt,The Rosenblatt Reader. (selected poems and prose, 1962-1995) Exile.Raymond Souster, No Sad Songs Wanted Here. Ottawa: Oberon Press.Meena Alexander, River and Bridge ( Poetry in English ), Toronto: TSAR Press and New Delhi: Rupa, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United States and IndiaSujata Bhatt, The Stinking Rose ( Poetry in English ), Carcanet Press and New Delhi: PenguinKeki Daruwalla, A Summer of Tigers ( Poetry in English ), New Delhi: IndusA. K. Ramanujan, The Collected Poems of A.K. Ramanujan ( Poetry in English ), Delhi: Oxford University Press; posthumously publishedSudeep Sen, Dali’s Twisted Hands ( Poetry in English), New York City: White Swan Books; Leeds: Peepal Tree, ISBN 0-948833-84-XTejdeep, Caught in a Stampede ( Poetry in English ), New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private LimitedK. Satchidanandan, Summer Rain: Three Decades of Poetry, edited by R. D. Yuyutsu; New Delhi: Nirala PublishersIreland
Patrick Crotty (editor), editor, Modern Irish Poetry: An Anthology, Belfast, The Blackstaff Press Ltd., ISBN 0-85640-561-2Gerald Dawe, Heart of Hearts, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-154-0John Montague, Collected Poems, including "Small Secrets", Oldcastle: The Gallery PressMaurice Riordan, A Word from the Loki, including "Milk", "A Word from the Loki" and "Time Out"", Faber and Faber, Irish poet published in the United KingdomNew Zealand
Fleur Adcock (New Zealand poet who moved to England in 1963) and Jacqueline Simms, editors, The Oxford Book of Creatures, verse and prose anthology, Oxford: Oxford University PressJenny Bornholdt, How We Met, New ZealandJanet Charman, End of the Dry, Auckland: Auckland University PressRobin Hyde, The Victory Hymn, 1935-1995, with an essay by Michele Leggott; Auckland: Holloway Press, New ZealandMark Williams and Michele Leggott, editors, Opening the Book : New Essays on New Zealand Writing Auckland: Auckland University Press, criticismFleur Adcock (New Zealand poet who moved to England in 1963) and Jacqueline Simms, editors, The Oxford Book of Creatures, verse and prose anthology, Oxford: Oxford University PressJames Berry, Hot Earth, Cold EarthAlison Brackenbury, 1829, Carcanet Press, ISBN 978-1-85754-122-9Gerry Cambridge, The Shell House, Scottish Cultural Press, ISBN 1-898218-34-XFlora Garry, Collected poemsTony Harrison, The Shadow of HiroshimaTed Hughes, New Selected Poems 1957–1994Jan Kochanowski: Laments, a cycle of Polish Renaissance elegies, translated by Seamus Heaney and Stanisław Barańczak, Faber & FaberMichael Longley, The Ghost OrchidDerek Mahon, The Hudson Letter. Gallery PressSean O'Brien, Ghost Train (Oxford University Press)Peter Reading, Collected Poems 1970–1984Maurice Riordan, A Word from the Loki Faber and Faber, Irish poet published in the United KingdomCarol Rumens, Best China SkyLabi Siffre, Blood on the PageR.S. Thomas, No Truce with the FuriesCharles Tomlinson, JubilationSimon Armitage, Tony Harrison and Sean O'Brien, Penguin Modern Poets 5 (Penguin)Eavan Boland, Carol Ann Duffy and Vicki Feaver, Penguin Modern Poets 2, PenguinRoderick Watson, editor, The Poetry of Scotland: Gaelic, Scots and English, 1380–1980, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (anthology)Stella Chipasula and Frank Chipasula, editors, The Heinemann book of African women's poetry, London: Heinemann (anthology)Criticism, scholarship and biography in the United Kingdom
Robert F. Garratt, editor, Critical essays on Seamus Heaney, ISBN 0-7838-0004-5Meena Alexander, River and Bridge, Toronto: TSAR Press and New Delhi: Rupa, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United States and IndiaMeena Alexander, River and Bridge, Toronto: TSAR Press and New Delhi: Rupa, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United States and IndiaRalph Angel, Nether WorldJohn Ashbery, Can You Hear, Bird?Joseph Brodsky: On Grief and Reason: Essays, New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Russian-AmericanHenri Cole, The Look of ThingsNicholas Coles & Peter Oresick, For a Living (University of Illinois Press)Alice Fulton, Sensual MathMichael S. Harper, Honorable AmendmentsFanny Howe, O'ClockWalter K. Lew, editor, Premonitions: The Kaya Anthology of New Asian North American poetry, New York: Kaya ProductionsJames Merrill, A Scattering of Salts (his last book)Carl Rakosi, Poems, 1923-1941Mary Oliver, Blue PasturesMichael Palmer, At PassagesMolly Peacock, Original LoveCarl Phillips, CortégeGiorgos Seferis, Complete Poems (in English), translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip SherrardCriticism, scholarship and biography in the United States
Helen Vendler, The Breaking of Style: Hopkins, Heaney, Graham, Harvard University PressJohn Hollander, The Gazer's Spirit: Poems Speaking to Silent Works of Art, criticismRichard Howard is the guest editor for The Best American Poetry 1995 (David Lehman, series editor). Howard changes the rules of inclusion for this year: "[P]oets whose work has appeared three or more times in this series are here and now ineligible, as are all seven former editors of the series." A total of 75 poems are included.
Poems from these 75 poets were in this year's anthology:
Aharon Shabtai, Ha-lev ("The Heart"), HebrewThe Labourers of HeraklesListed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:
Katrine Marie Guldager, Styrt, publisher: GyldendalKlaus Høeck:1001 Digt, publisher: GyldendalHommage, publisher: BasiliskAndree Chedid, Par dela les mots (Lebanese resident of France, writing in French)Michel Deguy, A ce qui n'en finite pas; FranceDenise Desautels, Cimetières: La rage muette, autour de photographies de Monique Bertrand, Montréal: Éditions Dazibao; CanadaClaude Esteban, Quelqu'un commence à parler dans une chambre, Flammarion; FranceListed in alphabetical order by first name:
Amarjit Chandan, Jarhan, Aesthetic Publications, Ludhiana; Punjabi-languageBasudev Sunani, Aneka Kichhi Ghatibaara Achhi, Nuapada: Eeshan-Ankit Prakashani; Oraya-languageChandrakanta Murasingh, Holong Kok Sao Bolong Bisingo, Agartala: Shyamlal Debbarma, Kokborok Sahitya Sanskriti Samsad; India, Kokborok-languageDebarati Mitra, Kavitasamagra, Kolkata: Ananda Publishers; Bengali-languageDilip Chitre, Ekoon Kavita – 2, Mumbai: Popular Prakashan; Marathi-languageKedarnath Singh, Uttar Kabir aur Anya Kavitayen, Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan; HindiNamdeo Dhasal, Ya Sattet Jeev Ramat Nahi; Marathi-languageNirupama Dutt, Ik Nadi Sanwali Jahi ("A Stream Somewhat Dark"); Panchkula: Aadhar Prakashan; Punjabi-languageNirendranath Chakravarti, Shotyo Shelukash, Kolkata: Ananda Publishers; Bengali-languageSaroop Dhruv, Salagti Havao, Ahmedabad: Samvedan Sanskritic Manch, Ahmedabad; Gujarati-languageUdayan Vajpeyi; Hindi-language:Kuchh Vakya, New Delhi: Vani PrakashanPagal Ganitagya Ki Kavitayen, New Delhi: Vani PrakashanMatilde Camus, Vuelo de la mente ("Mind flight")Stanisław Barańczak, Slon, traba i ojczyzna ("The Elephant, the Trunk, and the Polish Question"), light verse; Kraków: Znak; PolandMario Benedetti, El olvido está lleno de memoria ("Oblivion Is Full of Memory"), published in Spain, UruguayChristoph Buchwald, general editor, and Joachim Sartorius, guest editor, Jahrbuch der Lyrik 1995/96 ("Poetry Yearbook 1995/96"), publisher: Beck; anthology; GermanyChen Kehua, Qiankantou shi ("Head-hunting Poems") Chinese (Taiwan)Limaza tarakt al-hissan wahidan (Why did you leave the horse alone?), 1995. English translation 2006 by Jeffrey Sacks (ISBN 0976395010)Awards and honors
Nobel prize: Seamus HeaneyC. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Bruce Beaver - Anima and Other PoemsDinny O'Hearn Poetry Prize: Selected poems 1956-1994 by Chris Wallace-CrabbeKenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry: Peter Boyle, Coming Home From the WorldMary Gilmore Prize: Jordie Albiston - Nervous ArcsGerald Lampert AwardArchibald Lampman AwardSee 1995 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.Pat Lowther AwardPrix Alain-GrandboisCholmondeley Award: U.A. Fanthorpe, Christopher Reid, C. H. Sisson, Kit WrightEric Gregory Award: Colette Bryce, Sophie Hannah, Tobias Hill, Mark WormaldForward Poetry Prize Best Collection: Sean O'Brien, Ghost Train (Oxford University Press)Forward Poetry Prize Best First Collection: Jane Duran, Breathe Now, Breathe (Enitharmon Press)T. S. Eliot Prize (United Kingdom and Ireland): Mark Doty, My AlexandriaWhitbread Award for poetry: Bernard O’Donoghue, GunpowderAgnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: Sandy Solomon, Pears, Lake, SunAiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry: Maxine KuminAML Award for poetry to Marden J. Clark for "Snows"Bernard F. Connors Prize for Poetry: Vijay Seshadri, "Lifeline"Bollingen Prize: Kenneth KochNational Book Award for poetry: Stanley Kunitz, Passing Through: The Later PoemsPoet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress: Robert Hass appointedPulitzer Prize for Poetry: Philip Levine, The Simple TruthRuth Lilly Poetry Prize: A.R. AmmonsWallace Stevens Award: James TateWhiting Awards: Lucy Grealy, James L. McMichael, Mary RuefleFellowship of the Academy of American Poets: Denise LevertovNew Zealand
Montana Book Award for Poetry: Michael Jackson, Pieces of MusicNew Zealand Book Award for Poetry: Michele Leggott, DiaBirth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
January 28 – George Woodcock (born 1912), Canadian poet, biographer, academic and prominent anarchistFebruary 6 – James Merrill, 68, of a heart attackApril 14 – Brian Coffey (born 1905), Irish poet and publisherApril 22 – Jane Kenyon, 47, of leukemiaMay 11 – David Avidan, 61, Israeli poet.July 7 – Helene Johnson, after osteoporosisJuly 16:May Sarton, 83 (born 1912), American poet, novelist, and memoirist, of breast cancerStephen Spender 86, (born 1909), English poet and essayist, of a heart ailmentSeptember 3 – Earle Birney, 91, Canadian poetSeptember 18 – Donald Davie, 73, of cancerOctober 22 – Kingsley Amis, 73, after an accidental fallNovember 5 – Essex Hemphill, 38, American poet and gay activist, from complications relating to AIDSDecember 30 – Heiner Muller (born 1929), German 