# 1995 in poetry

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).

## Events

* February 16 – It is announced 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.

## Works published

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

### Australia

* Jennifer Harrison: Mosaics & Mirrors: Composite poems (Black Pepper)
* Chris Mansell, Day Easy Sunlight Fine in Hot Collation (Penguin, Melbourne) ISBN 978-0-14-024540-0
* Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Selected Poems 1956-1994, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Australia

### Canada

* Margaret Atwood, Morning in the Burned House, McClelland & Stewart
* Anne Carson, Plainwater: Essays and Poetry, Knopf
* Roy Miki, Random Access File, Canada
* John Reibetanz, Morning Watch
* Joe 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.

### India, in English

* 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 India
* Sujata Bhatt, The Stinking Rose ( Poetry in English ), Carcanet Press and New Delhi: Penguin
* Keki Daruwalla, A Summer of Tigers ( Poetry in English ), New Delhi: Indus
* A. K. Ramanujan, The Collected Poems of A.K. Ramanujan ( Poetry in English ), Delhi: Oxford University Press; posthumously published
* Sudeep Sen, Dali’s Twisted Hands ( Poetry in English), New York City: White Swan Books; Leeds: Peepal Tree, ISBN 0-948833-84-X
* Tejdeep, Caught in a Stampede ( Poetry in English ), New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited
* K. Satchidanandan, Summer Rain: Three Decades of Poetry, edited by R. D. Yuyutsu; New Delhi: Nirala Publishers

### Ireland

* Patrick Crotty (editor), editor, Modern Irish Poetry: An Anthology, Belfast, The Blackstaff Press Ltd., ISBN 0-85640-561-2
* Gerald Dawe, Heart of Hearts, Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-1-85235-154-0
* John Montague, Collected Poems, including "Small Secrets", Oldcastle: The Gallery Press
* Maurice 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 Kingdom

### New 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 Press
* Jenny Bornholdt, How We Met, New Zealand
* Janet Charman, end of the dry, Auckland: Auckland University Press
* Robin Hyde, The Victory Hymn, 1935-1995, with an essay by Michele Leggott; Auckland: Holloway Press, New Zealand
* Mark Williams and Michele Leggott, editors, Opening the Book : New Essays on New Zealand Writing Auckland: Auckland University Press, criticism

### United Kingdom

* 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 Press
* James Berry, Hot Earth, Cold Earth
* Alison Brackenbury, 1829, Carcanet Press, ISBN 978-1-85754-122-9
* Gerry Cambridge, The Shell House, Scottish Cultural Press, ISBN 1-898218-34-X
* Flora Garry, Collected poems
* Tony Harrison, The Shadow of Hiroshima
* Ted Hughes, New Selected Poems 1957–1994
* Jan Kochanowski: Laments, a cycle of Polish Renaissance elegies, translated by Seamus Heaney and Stanisław Barańczak, Faber & Faber
* Michael Longley, The Ghost Orchid
* Derek Mahon, The Hudson Letter. Gallery Press
* Sean O'Brien, Ghost Train (Oxford University Press)
* Peter Reading, Collected Poems 1970–1984
* Maurice Riordan, A Word from the Loki Faber and Faber, Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
* Carol Rumens, Best China Sky
* Labi Siffre, Blood on the Page
* R.S. Thomas, No Truce with the Furies
* Charles Tomlinson, Jubilation

#### Anthologies in the United Kingdom

* Simon Armitage, Tony Harrison and Sean O'Brien, Penguin Modern Poets 5 (Penguin)
* Eavan Boland, Carol Ann Duffy and Vicki Feaver, Penguin Modern Poets 2, Penguin
* Roderick 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 0-7838-0004-5

### United States

* Meena Alexander, River and Bridge, Toronto: TSAR Press and New Delhi: Rupa, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United States and India
* Meena Alexander, River and Bridge, Toronto: TSAR Press and New Delhi: Rupa, by an Indian writing living in and published in the United States and India
* Ralph Angel, Nether World
* John Ashbery, Can You Hear, Bird?
* Matthew Rohrer, ‘’A Hummock in the Malookas’’
* Joseph Brodsky: On Grief and Reason: Essays, New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Russian-American
* Henri Cole, The Look of Things
* Nicholas Coles & Peter Oresick, For a Living (University of Illinois Press)
* Alice Fulton, Sensual Math
* Michael S. Harper, Honorable Amendments
* Fanny Howe, O'Clock
* Walter K. Lew, editor, Premonitions: The Kaya Anthology of New Asian North American poetry, New York: Kaya Productions
* James Merrill, A Scattering of Salts (his last book)
* Carl Rakosi, Poems, 1923-1941
* Mary Oliver, Blue Pastures
* Michael Palmer, At Passages
* Molly Peacock, Original Love
* Carl Phillips, Cortége
* Giorgos Seferis, Complete Poems (in English), translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard

#### Criticism, scholarship and biography in the United States

* Helen Vendler, The Breaking of Style: Hopkins, Heaney, Graham, Harvard University Press
* John Hollander, The Gazer's Spirit: Poems Speaking to Silent Works of Art, criticism

#### The Best American Poetry 1995

Richard 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:

### Other in English

* Aharon Shabtai, Ha-lev ("The Heart"), Hebrew
* The Labourers of Herakles

## Works published in other languages

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

### Denmark

* Katrine Marie Guldager, Styrt, publisher: Gyldendal
* Klaus Høeck:
** 1001 Digt, publisher: Gyldendal
** Hommage, publisher: Basilisk

### French language

* Andree Chedid, Par dela les mots (Lebanese resident of France, writing in French)
* Michel Deguy, A ce qui n'en finite pas; France
* Denise Desautels, Cimetières: La rage muette, autour de photographies de Monique Bertrand, Montréal: Éditions Dazibao; Canada
* Claude Esteban, Quelqu'un commence à parler dans une chambre, Flammarion; France

### India

Listed in alphabetical order by first name:
* Amarjit Chandan, Jarhan, Aesthetic Publications, Ludhiana; Punjabi-language
* Basudev Sunani, Aneka Kichhi Ghatibaara Achhi, Nuapada: Eeshan-Ankit Prakashani; Oraya-language
* Chandrakanta Murasingh, Holong Kok Sao Bolong Bisingo, Agartala: Shyamlal Debbarma, Kokborok Sahitya Sanskriti Samsad; India, Kokborok-language
* Debarati Mitra, Kavitasamagra, Kolkata: Ananda Publishers; Bengali-language
* Dilip Chitre, Ekoon Kavita – 2, Mumbai: Popular Prakashan; Marathi-language
* Kedarnath Singh, Uttar Kabir aur Anya Kavitayen, Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan; Hindi
* Namdeo Dhasal, Ya Sattet Jeev Ramat Nahi; Marathi-language
* Nirupama Dutt, Ik Nadi Sanwali Jahi ("A Stream Somewhat Dark"); Panchkula: Aadhar Prakashan; Punjabi-language
* Nirendranath Chakravarti, Shotyo Shelukash, Kolkata: Ananda Publishers; Bengali-language
* Saroop Dhruv, Salagti Havao, Ahmedabad: Samvedan Sanskritic Manch, Ahmedabad; Gujarati-language
* Udayan Vajpeyi; Hindi-language:
** Kuchh Vakya, New Delhi: Vani Prakashan
** Pagal Ganitagya Ki Kavitayen, New Delhi: Vani Prakashan

### Spain

* Matilde Camus, Vuelo de la mente ("Mind flight")

### Other languages

* Stanisław Barańczak, Slon, traba i ojczyzna ("The Elephant, the Trunk, and the Polish Question"), light verse; Kraków: Znak; Poland
* Mario Benedetti, El olvido está lleno de memoria ("Oblivion Is Full of Memory"), published in Spain, Uruguay
* Christoph Buchwald, general editor, and Joachim Sartorius, guest editor, Jahrbuch der Lyrik 1995/96 ("Poetry Yearbook 1995/96"), publisher: Beck; anthology; Germany
* Chen 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 Heaney

### Australia

* C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Bruce Beaver - Anima and Other Poems
* Dinny O'Hearn Poetry Prize: Selected poems 1956-1994 by Chris Wallace-Crabbe
* Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry: Peter Boyle, Coming Home From the World
* Mary Gilmore Prize: Jordie Albiston - Nervous Arcs

### Canada

* Gerald Lampert Award: Keith Maillard, Dementia Americana
* Archibald Lampman Award: John Barton, Designs from the Interior
* 1995 Governor General's Awards: Anne Szumigalski, Voice (English); Émile Martel, Pour orchestre et poète seul (French)
* Pat Lowther Award: Beth Goobie, Scars of Light
* Prix Alain-Grandbois: Rachel Leclerc, Rabatteurs d'étoiles
* Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize: Linda Rogers, Hard Candy
* Prix Émile-Nelligan: Marlène Belley, Les jours sont trop longs pour se mentir

### India

* Sahitya Akademi Award : Kunwar Narayan for Koi Doosra Nahin
* Poetry Society India National Poetry Competition : Tabish Khair for Birds of North Europe & Gopi Kottoor for The Coffin Maker

### New Zealand

* Montana Book Award for Poetry: Michael Jackson, Pieces of Music
* New Zealand Book Award for Poetry: Michele Leggott, Dia

### United Kingdom

* Cholmondeley Award: U. A. Fanthorpe, Christopher Reid, C. H. Sisson, Kit Wright
* Eric Gregory Award: Colette Bryce, Sophie Hannah, Tobias Hill, Mark Wormald
* Forward 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 Alexandria
* Whitbread Award for poetry: Bernard O'Donoghue, Gunpowder
* National Poetry Competition : James Harpur for The Frame of Furnace Light

### United States

* Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: Sandy Solomon, Pears, Lake, Sun
* Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry: Maxine Kumin
* AML Award for poetry to Marden J. Clark for "Snows"
* Bernard F. Connors Prize for Poetry: Vijay Seshadri, "Lifeline"
* Bollingen Prize: Kenneth Koch
* National Book Award for poetry: Stanley Kunitz, Passing Through: The Later Poems
* Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress: Robert Hass appointed
* Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: Philip Levine, The Simple Truth
* Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize: A.R. Ammons
* Wallace Stevens Award: James Tate
* Whiting Awards: Lucy Grealy, James L. McMichael, Mary Ruefle
* Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets: Denise Levertov

## Deaths

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
* January 28 – George Woodcock, 82 (born 1912), Canadian poet, biographer, academic and prominent anarchist
* February 6 – James Merrill, 68 (born 1926), American poet, of a heart attack
* April 14 – Brian Coffey, 89 (born 1905), Irish poet and publisher
* April 22 – Jane Kenyon, 47 (born 1947), American poet, of leukemia
* May 11 – David Avidan, 61 (born 1934), Israeli Hebrew-language poet
* July 7 – Helene Johnson, 89 (born 1906), African American poet, after osteoporosis
* July 16:
** May Sarton, 83 (born 1912), American poet, novelist and memoirist, of breast cancer
** Stephen Spender, 86, (born 1909), English poet and essayist, of a heart ailment
* September 3 – Earle Birney, 91 (born 1904), Canadian poet
* September 13 – Maheswar Neog, 80 (born 1915), Indian, Assamese-language scholar and poet
* September 18 – Donald Davie, 73 (born 1922), English poet, of cancer
* September 26 – Lynette Roberts, 86 (born 1909), Welsh poet
* October 22 – Kingsley Amis, 73 (born 1922), English novelist and poet, after a fall
* November 5 – Essex Hemphill, 38 (born 1957), African American poet and gay activist, from complications relating to AIDS
* December 30 – Heiner Müller, 66 (born 1929), German dramatist and poet