June 18 – Release in the United Kingdom of a new film, The Edge of Love, concerning Dylan Thomas' relationship with two women, starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys (as Thomas).September – A United Kingdom examination board, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, asks schools to withdraw copies of its anthology which contain the poem, Education for Leisure by Carol Ann Duffy after some teachers complained about the poem's reference to knives. Other teachers oppose the move, and Duffy responds with a new poem, Mrs Schofield's GCSE.December 15 – The American Academy of Arts and Sciences begins awarding the May Sarton prize. Five "emerging poets" each year will receive a $2,000 honorarium and an opportunity to have their work published in the Academy's journal, Daedalus (for winners, see "Awards and honors" section, below).Dennis Brutus is awarded the Lifetime Honorary Award by the South African Department of Arts and Culture for his lifelong dedication to African and world poetry and literary arts Brutus was also an activist who was imprisoned and incarcerated in the cell next to Nelson Mandela's on Robben Island from 1963 to 1965.Complaints about Carol Ann Duffy's poem "Education for Leisure" cause it to be withdrawn from the AQA Anthology studied in English schools.Dmitry Vodennikov wins a Russian poetry competition television show, "King of the Poets".POETomu (a play on the English word "poet" and the Russian word poetomu ("because")), a glossy magazine about poetry, is founded in Russia.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, The Golden Bird, winner of the C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry in the 2009 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, shortlisted for the 2009 Age Book of the Year AwardsMichael Brennan, Unanimous NightDavid Brooks, The Balcony, finalist for the 2008 Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry; University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3669-3Elizabeth Hodgson, Skin Painting, winner of the 2007 David Unaipon Award; University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3677-8Sarah Holland-Batt, Aria, University of Queensland Press, winner of the Judith Wright Prize and the Anne Elder AwardYvette Holt, Anonymous Premonition, winner of the 2005 David Unaipon Award for an unpublished manuscript, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writing Prize (2008), and the Poets Union Scanlon Prize for Aboriginal Poetry (2008)Clive James, Opal Sunset: Selected Poems, 1958–2008, W.W. NortonCarol Jenkins, Fishing in the Devonian, Puncher & WattmannJohn Kinsella, Divine Comedy, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3666-2Anthony Lawrence, Bark, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3664-8Bronwyn Lea, The Other Way Out, Giramondo PublishingDavid Malouf, Revolving Days, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3635-8Peter Rose, The Best Australian Poems 2008, including work from: Dorothy Porter, Robert Adamson, Judith Beveridge, Rosemary Dobson, Laurie Duggan, Stephen Edgar, Clive James, John Kinsella, Les Murray, Lisa Gorton, Geoffrey Lehmann, Tracy Ryan and Brenda Walker, Chris Wallace-Crabbe and Fay Zwicky; Black Inc., ISBN 978-1-86395-303-0Kyle Buckley, The Laundromat Essay, a long poem (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-206-6Margaret Christakos, What Stirs, (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-204-2Jen Currin, Hagiography (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-197-7Jeramy Dodds, Crabwise to the Hounds (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-205-9Gwendolyn MacEwen; Meaghan Strimas; Rosemary Sullivan; Barry Callaghan (2008). The Selected Gwendolyn MacEwen. Exile Editions, Ltd. ISBN 978-1-55096-111-9. Nancy Holmes, Open Wide a Wilderness: Canadian Nature Poems, Wilfrid Laurier University Press ISBN 978-1-55458-033-0Randall Maggs, Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems (Brick Books) ISBN 978-1-894078-62-7George McWhirter, The Anachronicles (Ronsdale Press) ISBN 978-1-55380-054-5Joe Rosenblatt & Catherine Owen, Dog; photos by Karen Moe. Toronto: Mansfield Press.Jordan Scott, Blert (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-199-1David Silverberg, editor, Mic Check: An Anthology Of Canadian Spoken Word Poetry, Quattro Books, ISBN 978-0-9782806-5-9Todd Swift, Seaway: New and Selected Poems (Salmon Poetry) ISBN 978-1-903392-92-8R. M. Vaughan, Troubled, (Coach House Books) ISBN 978-1-55245-198-4Zachariah Wells, editor, Jailbreaks: 99 Canadian Sonnets, (Biblioasis) ISBN 978-1-897231-44-9Meena Alexander, Quickly Changing River ( Poetry in English ), Triquarterly Books, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United StatesEunice de Souza, editor, Both Sides of the Sky, Post-Independence Poetry in English, New Delhi: National Book Trust, ISBN 978-81-237-5331-7Arundhathi Subramaniam, translator, The Absent Traveller: Prākrit love poetry from the Gāthāsaptaśatī of Sātavāhana Hāla, New Delhi: Penguin India, ISBN 0-14-310080-7Jeet Thayil:These Errors Are Correct, Delhi: Tranquebar Books (EastWest and Westland)Editor, The Bloodaxe Book of Contemporary Indian Poets, Bloodaxe, anthology of Indian poetry in English, published in the United KingdomSujata Bhatt (2008). "Pure Lizard" ( Poetry in English ), Carcanet Press. Retrieved 2008-09-13.Ireland
Guzstáv Báger, Object Found, translated by Thomas Kabdebo; Hungarian poet published in Ireland (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-78-2Ciaran Berry, The Sphere of Birds, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-442-8Dermot Bolger, External Affairs, 80 pages, New Island Press, ISBN 978-1-84840-028-3Andrew Carpenter, editor, Thornfield: Poems by the Thornfield Poets (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-79-9 (anthology)Ciarán Carson:Collected Poems, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-433-6For All We Know, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-440-4 ISBN 9781852354398Eileen Casey, Drinking the Colour BlueGerald Dawe, Points West, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-447-3Frank Golden, In Daily Accord (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-75-1Maurice Harmon, The Mischievous Boy and other poems (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-86-7Anne Le Marquand Hartigan, To Keep the Light Burning: Reflections in Times of Loss, poetry and prose (Salmon Poetry) ISBN 978-1-903392-96-6Kevin Higgins (poet), Time Gentlemen, Please (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-76-8Peter van de Kamp, In Train, Dutch native living in Ireland (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-85-0Caroline Lynch, Lost in the Gaeltacht (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-84-3Alan Jude Moore, Lost Republics (Salmon Poetry) ISBN 978-1-903392-93-5Patrick Moran (poet), Green (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-95-9Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: Selected Poems Gallery Press, London: Oldcastle and Faber, Irish work published in the United KingdomNuala Ní Dhomhnaill, The Fifty Minute Mermaid, translated from Irish by Paul Muldoon, Gallery Press, ISBN 1-85235-374-0Ulick O'Connor, The Kiss: New and Selected Poems and Translations (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-97-3Lorna Shaughnessy, Torching the Brown River (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-77-5Eamon Wall, A Tour of Your Country Irish native living in the United States, published in Ireland (Salmon Press) ISBN 978-1-903392-80-5New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt, The Rocky Shore, winner of the Montana New Zealand Book Award for Poetry (announced September 2009)Kevin Ireland, How To Survive The Morning, Cape Catley Ltd, ISBN 978-1-877340-17-8C. K. Stead, Collected Poems 1951–2006, winner of the"reference and anthology" category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards (announced September 2009)Vladimir Nabokov (posthumous), edited by Brian Boyd (New Zealand academic) and Stanislav Shvabrin, ' 'Verses and Versions: Three Centuries of Russian Poetry Selected and translated by Vladimir Nabokov' ', English translations of Russian poetry, presented next to the Russian originals, Harcourt (published in the United States)Sam Sampson, Everything Talks, Auckland University Press and Shearsman Books; winner of the 2009 New Zealand Society of Authors Jessie Mackay Best First Book Award for PoetryBest New Zealand Poetry 2007
The year's guest editor, who chose 25 poems for inclusion, was Paula Green. The list appeared at the series website in February 2008.
Paul Thomas Abbott, FLOOD (Clutag Press) ISBN 0-9553476-2-9Moniza Alvi:Europa, shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize; Bloodaxe BooksSplit World: Poems 1990–2005, Bloodaxe BooksAnnemarie Austin, Very: New and Selected Poems, Bloodaxe Books, Bloodaxe BooksMourid Barghouti, Midnight and Other Poems, translated by Radwa Ashour, Palestinian poet published in the United Kingdom (Arc Publications), ISBN 978-1-906570-08-8Paul Batchelor, The Sinking RoadMarck L. Beggs, Catastrophic Chords (Salmon Poetry) ISBN 978-1-903392-89-8Robyn Bolam, New WingsZoe Brigley, The SecretConstantine Cavafy, The Selected Poems of Cavafy, translated from the original Greek by Avi Sharon, Penguin Classic, ISBN 978-0-14-118561-3Felix Dennis, Homeless in my Heart, Ebury Press (Random House), ISBN 0-09-192800-1Menna Elfyn, Perfect Blemish, translated by Elin Ap Hywel from the original Welsh; Bloodaxe BooksJanet Frame, Storms Will Tell: Selected Poems, Bloodaxe Books; posthumously publishedAnne Gorrick, Kyotologic, Shearsman Books, ISBN 978-1-84861-004-0 (American, published in the United Kingdom)Chris Greenhalgh, The Invention of Zero, Bloodaxe BooksJane Griffiths, Another Country: New and Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksLiam Guilar, Lady Godiva and Me (Nine Arches Press) ISBN 978-0-9560559-1-0Jen Hadfield, Nigh-no-place, Bloodaxe BooksDavid Harsent, Selected Poems 1969–2005, ISBN 978-0-571-23401-1Selima Hill:Gloria: Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksThe Hat, Bloodaxe BooksMick Imlah, The Lost Leader, Faber and Faber, ISBN 978-0-571-24307-5Clive James, Angels Over Elsinore: Collected Verse 2003–2008 (Picador)Esther Jansma, What It Is, edited and translated by Francis R. Jones from the original Dutch, Bloodaxe BooksDaniel Kane, Ostentation of Peacocks, (Egg Box Publishing) ISBN 978-0-9543920-9-3Jackie Kay:Darling: New and Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksThe Lamplighter, Bloodaxe BooksAgnes Lehoczky, Budapest to Babel, (Egg Box Publishing) ISBN 978-0-9543920-6-2Ira Lightman, Duetcetera (Shearsman Books) ISBN 978-1-84861-011-8Jack Mapanje, Beasts of Nalunga, Bloodaxe BooksRobert Minhinnick, King Driftwood, Carcanet ISBN 978-1-85754-965-2 Welsh poet, writing in EnglishKenji Miyazawa, Strong in the Rain: Selected Poems, translated from the original Japanese by Roger Pulvers, Bloodaxe BooksEiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: Selected Poems Gallery Press, London: Oldcastle and Faber, Irish work published in the United KingdomStephanie Norgate, Hidden River, Bloodaxe BooksNaomi Shihab Nye, Tender Spot: Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksSean O'Brien, Andrew Marvell: poems selected by Sean O'Brien (Poet to Poet series, Faber and Faber)Julie O'Callaghan, Tell Me This Is Normal: New & Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksPamela Robertson-Pearse, editor, In Person: 30 Poets, including two DVDs, ISBN 1-85224-800-9, Bloodaxe BooksAnne Rouse, The Upshot: New and Selected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksJohn Sears, Reading George Szirtes, Bloodaxe BooksYi Sha, Starve the Poets!, edited and translated from the original Chinese by Simon Patton and Tao Naikan, Bloodaxe BooksElena Shvarts, Birdsong on the Seabed, edited and translated from the original Russian by Sasha Dugdale, Bloodaxe BooksPauline Stainer, Crossing the Snowline, Bloodaxe BooksGeorge Szirtes, New and Collected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksEdward Thomas, The Annotated Collected Poems, Bloodaxe BooksRuth Thompson (poet), The Flaggy Shore, (bluechrome Publishing) ISBN 978-1-906061-59-3 Northern Irish poet published in United KingdomTomas Venclova, The Junction, translated from the original Lithuanian by Ellen Hinsey, Bloodaxe BooksRab Wilson, Life Sentence: More Poems Chiefly in the Scots Dialect (Luath Press Ltd) ISBN 978-1-906307-89-9Lesley Duncan, editor, 100 Favourite Poems of the Day (Luath Press Ltd) ISBN 978-1-906307-08-0Mark Richardson, editor, The Big Green Poetry Machine Poems from Scotland (Young Writers) ISBN 978-1-84431-787-5Jeet Thayil, editor, The Bloodaxe Book of Contemporary Indian Poets, Bloodaxe Books ISBN 978-1-85224-801-7Forward Book of Poetry 2009 (published October 2008), Faber and Faber, ISBN 978-0-571-24396-9Criticism, biography and scholarship in the United Kingdom
Bloodaxe Poetry Lectures: a series of talks by poets at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne about the craft and practice of poetry, published by Bloodaxe Books:Maura Dooley, editor, Life Under WaterJane Hirshfield, Hiddenness, Uncertainty, SurpriseJo Shapcott, The Transformers: NewcastleJosephine Nock-Hee Park, Apparitions of Asia: Modernist Form and Asian American Poetics, Oxford University Press, scholarshipJames Persoon and Robert R. Watson, editors, The Facts on File Companion to British Poetry, 1900 to the Present ISBN 978-0-8160-6406-9Shira Wolosky, The Art of Poetry: How to Read a Poem, Oxford University Press, scholarshipTina Chang and Nathalie Handal, editors, Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond,W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 978-0-393-33238-4Vladimir Nabokov (posthumous), edited by Brian Boyd and Stanislav Shvabrin, Verses and Versions: Three Centuries of Russian Poetry Selected and translated by Vladimir Nabokov, English translations of Russian poetry, presented next to the Russian originals, HarcourtNguyen Do and Paul Hoover, editors, Black Dog, Black Night, anthology of contemporary Vietnamese poetry from 21 poets, many of whom had never previously been translated into English; Milkweed ISBN 978-1-57131-430-7Leslie Pockell and Celia Johnson, editors, 100 Poems to Lift Your Spirits, Grand Central Publishing, ISBN 978-0-446-17795-5Reginald Shepherd, editor, Lyric Postmodernisms: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetries, Counterpath Press, ISBN 978-1-933996-06-6Jason Shinder, John Lithgow, Billy Collins, editors, The Poem I Turn To: Actors and Directors Present Poetry That Inspires Them, ISBN 978-1-4022-0502-6Mark Strand and Jeb Livingood, editors, Best New Poets 2008, including work by Zach Savich, Heidi Poon, and Malachi BlackCarolyne Wright, editor and translator, Majestic Nights: Love Poems of Bengali Women, Buffalo, New York: White Pine Press, ISBN 978-1-893996-93-9Criticism, scholarship and biography in the United States
Michael Almereyda, editor, Night Wraps the Sky: Writings by and about Mayakovsky (Macmillan/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), ISBN 978-0-374-28135-9Robert Frost, The Collected Prose of Robert Frost, edited by Mark Richardson; Frost was reluctant to publish his collected prose and even said he lost his notes to the Charles Eliot Norton Lectures he delivered at Harvard in 1936 (Harvard University Press)Donald Hall, Unpacking the Boxes: A Memoir of a Life in Poetry, Houghton MifflinMichael Heller, Speaking the Estranged: Essays on the Work of George Oppen, Cambridge UK: Salt PublishingMichael Palmer, Active Boundaries: Selected Essays and Talks, New Directions (New York, NY), 2008. ISBN 0-8112-1754-XReginald Shepherd, Orpheus in the Bronx: Essays on Identity, Politics, and the Freedom of Poetry, University of Michigan PressJan Ziolkowski and Bridget K. Balint, editors, A Garland of Satire, Wisdom, and History: Latin Verse from Twelfth-Century France (Carmina Houghtoniensia), Harvard University Press, ISBN 0-9765472-7-9 ISBN 9780976547273These poets appeared in The Best American Poetry 2008, with David Lehman, general editor, and Charles Wright, guest editor (who selected the poetry) (Scribner ISBN 0-7432-9973-6):
Stéphane Bataillon, Sylvestre Clancier and Bruno Doucey, editors, Poésies de langue française: 144 poètes d'aujourd'hui autour du monde ("Poems in the French Language: 144 Contemporary Poets from Around the World"), Éditions Seghurs, ISBN 978-2-232-12305-4, anthologyYves Bonnefoy, La Longue Chaîne de l'Ancre ("The Anchor's Long Chain"), publisher: Mercure de FranceHélène Dorion, Le Hublot des heures, Paris, Éditions de La Différence; Canadian poet published in FranceHaïjin, translated from her Japanese edition, Du rouge aux lèvres ("Red lips"), publisher: La Table Ronde, short poems to be read aloud in a single breathPhilippe Jaccottet, Ce peu de bruits ("This Little Noise"), publisher: GallimardVénus Khoury-Ghata, Les Obscurcis, publisher: Mercure de FranceAbdellatif Laabi, Tribulations d'un rêveur attitré, coll. La Clepsydre, La Différence, Paris, Moroccan author writing French and published in FranceJacques Prévert (illustrated with photography by Izis Bidermanas), Grand bal du printemps, publisher: Le Cherche midiJean Max Tixier, Le grenier à sel, publisher: Encres vivesJean-Vincent Verdonnet, Mots en maraude, illustrated by Marie-Claude Enevoldsen-Bussat, Publisher: Voix d'EncreRoger Des Roches, Dixhuitjuilletdeuxmillequatre, winner of the Prix Chasse-SpleenHélène Dorion, Le Hublot des heures, Paris, Éditions de La Différence; Canadian poet published in FranceChristoph Buchwald, series editor, and Ulf Stolterfoht, guest editor, Jahrbuch der Lyrik 2008 ("Yearbook of Poetry 2008"), Frankfurt: Fischer (S.), 215 pages, ISBN 978-3-10-009654-8, anthologyChristoph Janacs:die Ungewissheit der Barke/la barca sin certidumbre ("The Uncertainty of the Boat"), publisher: ArovellNachtwache ("Nightwatch"), Edition Thanhäuser, 37 poems; St. Georgs PresseBjoern Kuligk and Jan Wagner, editors, Lyrik von Jetzt 2 ("Poetry of Now 2"), publisher: Berlin Verlag, featuring poetry by 50 authors born after 1969 (a follow-up volume to Lyrik von Jetzt, published in 2003Steffen Popp, Kolonie zur Sonne: Gedichte ("Colony to the Sun: Poems"), Kookbooks, 59 pages, ISBN 978-3-937445-35-9Sabine Scho:Album: Gedichte ("Album: Poems"), Kookbooks, 62 pages, ISBN 978-3-937445-29-8Farben ("Colors"), Kookbooks, 78 pages, ISBN 978-3-937445-34-2Michael Longley, Το χταπόδι του Ομήρου ("The Octopus of Homer"), translated from the original English of the Irish author by Harris Vlavianos, Athens: PatakisKaterina Iliopoulou, Asylum, Melani editionsGeorge Koropoulis (Γιώργος Κοροπούλης), Αντιύλη ("Antimatter'"), Athens: UpsilonDionysis Kapsalis (Διονύσης Καψάλης), Όλα τα δειλινά του κόσμου ("All the Sunsets in the World"), Athens: AgraStamatis Polenakis, Notre Dames, publisher: Odos Panos EditionsListed in alphabetical order by first name:
Bharat Majhi, Highware Kuhudi, Bhubaneswar: Pakshighara Prakasani; OriyaJiban Narah, Momaideur Phulani, Guwahati, Assam: Banalata; Assamese-languageK. Siva Reddy, Posaganivannee, Hyderabad: Jhari Poetry Circle, Telugu-languageP. P. Ramachandran, Kalamkaari, Kottayam: DC Books; MalayalamRaghavan Atholi, Chavumazhakal, Kottayam: DC Books; MalayalamRituraj, Chuni Huin Kavitayen, Hindi-languageSitanshu Yashaschandra, Vakhar, Mumbai and Ahmedabad: R R Sheth & Co.; GujaratiTeji Grover, Maitri, Bikaner: Surya Prakashan Mandir, Hindi-languageSarvenaz Heraner, Sarrizha-yi sukut (“Overflowing of Silence”)Mohammad Reza Shafi'i Kadkani, editor, Gozideh-ye Ghazaliyat-e Shams extensive, annotated selections from Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi ("The Collected Poems of Shams of Tabriz")by Rumi; Persian, published in IranRu'ya Muqaddas, Ru'yaha-yi 'ashiqanah: 'ashiqanahha-yi Ru'ya ("Loverly Reveries: Love Songs of Ru'ya")Poland
Kazimierz Brakoniecki, GlosolalieRyszard Kapuściński, Wiersze zebrane, posthumously publishedLudwik Jerzy Kern, Litery cztery. Wiersze prawie wszystkieKrzysztof Koehler, Porwanie Europy ("Kidnapping Europe")Tadeusz Różewicz, Kup kota w worku, Wrocław: Biuro LiterackieEugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki, Piosenka o zależnościach i uzależnieniach, winner of both the Gdynia Literary Prize, for poetry and the Nike Award for literature in 2009Yelena Fanailova, Baltisky dnevnik ("Baltic Diary")Yelena Shvarts, Collected Works, Volumes 3 and 4Books of poetry were published by Mikhail Aizenberg, Vasily Borodin, Natalya Gorbanevskaya, Alla Gorbunova, Vadim Mesyats, Andrey Rodionov and Aleksey TsvetkovHerberto Helder, A faca não corta o fogo: súmula e inédita; PortugalJang Jin-sung, I Am Selling My Daughter for 100 Won (내 딸을 백원에 팝니다), KoreaTarawa Machi, Japanese tanka poet, translated into French by Yves-Marie Allioux, Salad Anniversary ("L'Anniversaire de la Salade), Editions Philippe PicquierPia Tafdrup, Boomerang, Copenhagen: Gyldendal Publishers, DenmarkRahman Henry, Gottrobhumikaheen, Bhasachitra, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh; Shrestha Kabita, NODEE publishing and Media House, Dhaka, BangladeshGhassan Zaqtan, Like a Straw Bird it Follows Me, Palestinian (Arabic)Golden Wreath of Poetry: Fatos Arapi (Albania)Beca Internacional Antonio Machado de creación poética: Subhro Bandopadhyay (India)Australia awards and honors
C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Robert Adamson, The Golden Bird (Black Inc); finalists: Carol Jenkins – Fishing in the Devonian (Puncher and Wattman); Bronwyn Lea, The Other Way Out (Giramondo Publishing)Kenneth Slessor Prize for PoetryArts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe AwardArts ACT Judith Wright PrizeFellowship of Australian Writers Anne Elder AwardCanada awards and honors
Archibald Lampman Award:Governor General's Awards:English language: Jacob Sheier, More to Keep Us WarmFrench language: Michel Pleau, La Lanteur du mondeGriffin Poetry Prize: Canadian: Robin Blaser, The Holy Forest: Collected PoemsGriffin Poetry Prize: International, in the English Language: John Ashbery, Notes from the Air: Selected Later Poems (HarperCollins Publishers/Ecco)Others on the shortlist: David Harsent, Selected Poems 1969–2005 (Faber); Elaine Equi, Ripple Effect: New and Selected Poems (Coffee House Press); Clayton Eshleman, translating from the Spanish by César Vallejo, The Complete Poetry: A Bilingual Edition (University of California Press)Pat Lowther Award:Prix Alain-Grandbois:Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award:New Zealand awards and honors
Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement:Montana New Zealand Book Awards (poetry category):United Kingdom awards and honors
Cholmondeley Award: John Burnside, David Harsent, John Greening and Sarah MaguireCosta Award (formerly "Whitbread Awards") for poetry: Jean Sprackland, Tilt (Cape)Shortlist (announced in November 2007): Ian Duhig, The Speed of Dark, John Fuller, The Space of Joy, Daljit Nagra, Look We Have Coming to Dover!English Association's Fellows' Poetry Prizes: Tony Flynn (first prize), Kim Rooney (second prize) and Peter Cash and Simon Jackson (joint third prize)Eric Gregory Award (for a collection of poems by a poet under the age of 30): Emily Berry, Rhiannon Hooson, James Midgley, Adam O'Riordan and Heather PhillipsonForward Poetry Prize:Best Collection:Shortlist: Sujata Bhatt, Pure Lizard (Carcanet); Jane Griffiths, Another Country (Bloodaxe); Jen Hadfield, Nigh-No-Place (Bloodaxe); Mick Imlah, The Lost Leader (Faber), Jamie McKendrick, Crocodiles & Obelisks (Faber); and Catherine Smith, Lip (Smith/Doorstop)Best First Collection:Shortlist: Simon Barraclough, Andrew Forster, Frances Leviston, Allison McVety, Stephanie Norgate and Kathryn SimmondsJerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize for poetry:Shortlist: Paul Batchelor, The Sinking Road (Bloodaxe Books); Ciaran Berry, The Sphere of Birds (Gallery Press); Adam Foulds, The Broken Word (Cape Poetry); Frances Leviston, Public Dream (Picador Poetry); Stephanie Norgate, Hidden River (Bloodaxe Books)Manchester Poetry Prize: Lesley Saunders and Mandy CoeNational Poet of Wales: Gillian Clarke succeeds Gwyn ThomasNational Poetry Competition 2007:T. S. Eliot Prize (United Kingdom and Ireland): Sean O'Brien The Drowned Book (Judges: Peter Porter, W. N. Herbert and Sujata Bhatt)Shortlist (announced in November 2007): Ian Duhig, Alan Gillis, Sophie Hannah, Mimi Khalvati, Frances Leviston, Sarah Maguire, Edwin Morgan, Poetry Review's Fiona Sampson, and Matthew SweeneyThe Times/Stephen Spender Prize for Poetry Translation:Wigtown Poetry Competition (Scotland's largest poetry prize): Jane Weir, first prizeUnited States awards and honors
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize awarded to Cheryl Dumesnil for In Praise of FallingAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences prize for poetry: Arda Collins, Matthew Dickman, Dawn Lundy Martin, Meghan O'Rourke, Matthew Zapruder; Judges (all fellows of the Academy): Paul Muldoon, Carl Phillips, Charles Simic, C. D. Wright, and Adam ZagajewskiAML Award for poetry to Neil Aitken for The Lost Country of Sight and Warren Hatch for Mapping the Bones of the WorldAndrés Montoya Poetry Prize awarded to Paul Martínez Pompa for My Kill Adore HimLenore Marshall Poetry Prize: Henri Cole for Blackbird and WolfNational Book Award for Poetry: Mark Doty for Fire to Fire: New and Selected PoemsThe New Criterion Poetry Prize:The Poetry Center Book Award (2008): – Barbara Guest (awarded posthumously) for The Collected Poems of Barbara Guest (ed. Hadley Haden Guest, Wesleyan University Press); Judge: Eileen TabiosPulitzer Prize for Poetry (United States): Robert Hass for Time and Materials; and Philip Schultz for FailurePoet Laureate of Virginia: Claudia Emerson, two year appointment 2008 to 2010Wallace Stevens Award: Louise GluckPEN Award for Poetry in Translation: Rosmarie Waldrop for Lingos I – IX by Ulf Stolterfoht (Burning Deck, 2007)Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize : Gary SnyderWhiting Awards: Rick Hilles, Douglas Kearney, Julie SheehanFrost Medal: Michael S. HarperShelley Memorial Award: Ed Roberson, Judges: Lyn Hejinian & C.D. WrightWriter Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award: Joanie Mackowski, Judge: Donald RevellLyric Poetry Award: Wayne Miller, Judge: Elizabeth MacklinLucille Medwick Memorial Award: Christina Pugh, Judge: Timothy Donnelly; finalist: Sally BallAlice Fay Di Castagnola Award: Natasha Sajé, Judge: Dean Young; finalists: Kevin Prufer & James RichardsonLouise Louis/Emily F. Bourne Student Poetry Award: Carey Powers, Judge: David Roderick; finalists: Willa Granger & Philip SparksGeorge Bogin Memorial Award: Theresa Sotto, Judge: by Prageeta SharmaRobert H. Winner Memorial Award: Jocelyn Emerson, Judge: by Annie Finch; finalists: Rachel Conrad & Marsha PomerantzCecil Hemley Memorial Award: Brian Henry, Judge: Norma ColeNorma Farber First Book Award: Catherine Imbriglio for Parts of the Mass, published by Burning Deck, Judge: Thylias Moss); finalist: Alena Hairston for The Logan Topographies, published by PerseaWilliam Carlos Williams Award: Aram Saroyan for Complete Minimal Poems, published by Ugly Duckling Presse; Judge: Ron Silliman; finalists: Roberta Beary for The Unworn Necklace, published by Snapshot Press; and Eileen Myles for Sorry, Tree, published by Wave BooksOther awards and honors
Japan: Akutagawa Prize for works published in the second half of 2007: Mieko Kawakami, Chichi to Ran (乳と卵) ("Of Breasts and Eggs")Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
January 1 – Wanda Sieradzka de Ruig, 85, Polish author, poet, journalist and translator. [9] [10] (Polish)January 3:Henri Chopin, 85, French poetPetru Dugulescu, 62, Romanian Baptist pastor, poet and politician, heart attack. [11]John O'Donohue, 52, Irish poet, philosopher and priest [12]January 4 – Stig Claesson (born 1928), SwedishJanuary 5 – Rowan Ayers (born 1922) English television producer and poetJanuary 12:Ángel González Muñiz, 82, Spanish [13]Adriano González León, 76, Venezuelan writer and poetJanuary 16 – Hone Tuwhare, 85, New Zealander [14]January 21 – Burton Hatlen, 71, American scholar, founding member of the National Poetry Foundation, mentor and teacher to Stephen King, who promoted the work of the Objectivist poetsFebruary 7 – Frank Geerk (born 1946), GermanFebruary 13 – Raúl Salinas, 73, American Chicano poet, complications of liver cancerFebruary 28 – Max Nord (born 1916)) DutchMarch 10 – Ana Kalandadze, 83, GeorgianMarch 16 – Jonathan Williams, 79, American poet, publisher and founder of The Jargon SocietyMarch 19 – Hugo Claus (born 1929), Flemish novelist, poet, playwright, painter, film director writing primarily in DutchMarch 23 – E. A. Markham, 68, Montserrat-born British poet and writer. [15]March 26 – Robert Fagles, 74, American professor, poet and translator of ancient epics, prostate cancer. [16]April 3 – Andrew Crozier, 64, English poet associated with the British Poetry Revival, with connections to American poetry, who edited volumes by American poet Carl Rakosi After Rakosi's Selected Poems, published in 1941, Rakosi dedicated himself to social work and apparently neither read nor wrote any poetry at all. A letter from Crozier to Rakosi asking about his early poetry was the trigger that started Rakosi writing again. His first book in 26 years, Amulet was published by New Directions in 1967 and his Collected Poems in 1986 by the National Poetry Foundation; of a brain tumour. [17]April 13 – Robert Greacen, 87, Irish poet [18]April 14 – Horst Bingel (born 1933), German writer, poet, graphic artist and publisherApril 15 – Parvin Dowlatabadi, 84, Iranian children's author and poet, of heart attack [19]April 17:Aimé Césaire, 94, French-Martiniquan poet and politicianApril 17 – Werner Dürrson (born 1932), GermanMikhail Tanich, 84, Russian poet, kidney problemsApril 24 – Jason Shinder, 53 (born 1955), American poet, editor, anthologist and teacher who founded the Y.M.C.A. National Writer's Voice program, one of the country's largest networks of literary-arts centers, at one time an assistant to Allen GinsbergMay 1 – Alberto Estima de Oliveira, 74, Portuguese poet [20] (Portuguese)May 2 – Ilyas Malayev, 72, Uzbek musician, wedding entertainer and poet. "His performances in stadiums drew tens of thousands of Uzbeks, and his appeal reached beyond his native republic", according to The New York Times.May 19 – Rimma Kazakova, 76, Russian poet.May 25:George Garrett, 78, American novelist and poet, cancer [21]Alejandro Romualdo, 82, PeruvianMay 29 – Paula Gunn Allen, 68, Native American poet, novelist, and activist, lung cancerJune 5:Angus Calder (born 1942) Scottish academic, writer, historian, poet and literary editorEugenio Montejo, 70, Venezuelan poet, essayist and ambassador, of stomach cancerJune 8 – Peter Rühmkorf (born 1929), German writer and poetJune 11 – James Reaney (born 1926) Canadian poet, playwright and literary criticJune 16 – Aleda Shirley (born 1955) American poetJune 29 – William Buchan, 3rd Baron Tweedsmuir, also known as "William Tweedsmuir" (born 1916), an English peer and author of novels, short stories, memoirs and verseJuly 4 – Thomas M. Disch, 68, American poet and novelist; suicideJuly 16 – Richard Exner (born 1929) German and American poet, academic and translator who moved to the United States in 1950, then moved to Germany after his retirementJuly 19 – Samudra Gupta, 62, Bangladeshi poet, gallbladder cancer [22]July 9 – Kilin (poet), pen name of Mikiel Spiteri, 90, Maltese poet and novelist; fluent in six languages and published in English, Spanish and other languagesJuly 24 – Alain Suied, 51 (born 1951), French poet, from cancerAugust 9 – Mahmoud Darwish, 67, Palestinian poet; complications following heart surgery.August 24 – Wei Wei, 88, Chinese poet and writer, liver cancerAugust 25 – Ahmed Faraz, pseudonym of Syed Ahmad Shah, 77 (born 1931), Pakistani Urdu-language poet and son of Agha Syed Muhammad Shah Bark Kohati, a leading traditional poet, from kidney failureAugust 28 – İlhan Berk, 89, TurkishSeptember 10 – Reginald Shepherd, 44, American poet, complications from colon cancerSeptember 15 – John Matshikiza, 53, South African actor, writer and poet; heart attackSeptember 20 – Duncan Glen, 75, British poet, critic and literary historianSeptember 28 – Konstantin Pavlov, 75 (born 1933), Bulgarian poet and screenwriter who was defiant against his country's communist regime; When censors prevented his works from being published officially in the country from 1966 to 1976, his popularity didn't wane, as Bulgarians clandestinely copied and read his poems.September 29 – Hayden Carruth, 87, American poet and literary criticSeptember 30 – Christa Reinig (born 1926), GermanOctober 6 – Paavo Haavikko, 77, Finnish poet and playwright, after long illnessOctober 15 – Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca, 94, Turkish poet; chronic renal failureOctober 25 – Tahereh Saffarzadeh, 72, Iranian poet and academic, cancerNovember 5 -- James Liddy, 74, Irish American poet, cancer.November 10 – Fries de Vries (1931–2008) DutchNovember 15, – Donald Finkel, 79 (born 1929), American poet, husband of poet and novelist Constance Urdang, complications from Alzheimer's diseaseNovember 16 – Tibor Gyurkovics, 77, Hungarian poet, writer and publicistNovember 20 – Gyula Takáts, 97, Hungarian poet, writer and translatorDecember 1 – Peter Maiwald (born 1946) GermanDecember 2 – Ann Darr (born 1920) American poet and World War II pilot.December 5 – Altaf Nia, 44, Kashmiri poet and academicDecember 10 – Dorothy Porter, 54, AustralianDecember 14 – Tajal Bewas, pen name of Taj Mohammed Samoo, 70 (born 1938), bucolic Sufi poet, novelist, short-story writer, teacher and Pakistani government officialDecember 15 – Jwalamukhi (pen name of Akaram Veeravelli Raghavacharya), 71 (born 1938), Indian poet and president of the India-China Friendship AssociationDecember 20 – Adrian Mitchell, 74, (born 1934), English poet, playwright, children's author, journalist and political activist, of heart failureDecember 22 – Nanao Sakaki (born 1923), Japanese poet and leading personality of "the Tribe", a counter-cultural groupDecember 24 – Harold Pinter, 78 (born 1930), English playwright, poet, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, human rights activist, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature