# 1977 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

* January – James Dickey, composes a poem he reads at new United States President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural gala (although not at the inauguration itself).
* July 11 – The English magazine Gay News is found guilty of blasphemous libel for publishing a homoerotic poem The Love That Dares to Speak Its Name by James Kirkup in a case (Whitehouse v. Lemon) brought by Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers and Listeners Association at the Old Bailey in London.
* Poet Sarah Kirsch leaves her native East Germany for the West.
* In Israeli the literary journal Keshet goes defunct, while Itton and Proza are founded.

## Works published in English

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

* Robert Adamson Cross The Border
* Jennifer Maiden, Mortal Details, Rigmarole
* Les Murray, Ethnic Radio, Angus & Robertson
* John Tranter, Crying in Early Infancy: 100 Sonnets, Makar Press

### Canada

* Earle Birney:
** The Damnation of Vancouver. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. A satire on the modern city.
** Ghost in the Wheels: selected poems. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
* Roo Borson, Landfall, ISBN 0-920110-32-0 American-Canadian
* Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies' Man
* Isabella Valancy Crawford, Hugh and Ion, Glenn Clever ed. (Ottawa: Borealis). ISBN 978-0-919594-77-7
* Irving Layton, The Poems of Irving Layton. Eli Mandel ed. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Also published, with an introduction by Hugh Kenner, as The Selected Poems of Irving Layton. New York: New Directions, 1977. ISBN 0-8112-0642-4
* Irving Layton, The Covenant. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
* Dorothy Livesay, Right Hand Left Hand. Erin, ON: Porcepic.
* Pat Lowther, A Stone Diary
* Miriam Mandel, Station 14. Edmonton: NeWest Press. ISBN 0-920316-08-5 ISBN 978-0920316085
* Charles Sangster, The Angel Guest and Other Poems and Lyrics, edited by Frank M. Tierney (Tecumseh)
* F. R. Scott, Poems of French Canada. Translated by F. R. Scott. Burnaby, B.C.: Blackfish Press.
* Raymond Souster, Extra Innings. Ottawa. Oberon Press.
* George Woodcock, Anima, or, Swann Grown Old. A Cycle of Poems by George Woodcock, Windsor, Ontario: Black Moss Press, Canada

### India, in English

* R. Parthasarathy, Rough Passage, Delhi: Oxford University Press
* Meena Alexander, I Root My Name, Calcutta: Writers Workshop, India.

### Ireland

* Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
* Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: The Second Voyage, including "Deaths and Engines", Oldcastle: The Gallery Press
* Harry Clifton, The Walls of Carthage Oldcastle: The Gallery Press, ISBN 978-0-902996-51-9
* Paul Muldoon, Mules, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
* Frank Ormsby, A Store of Candles, including "Passing the Crematorium", Oldcastle: Gallery Press
* Tom Paulin, A State of Justice, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom

### New Zealand

* Bill Manhire, How to Take Off Your Clothes at the Picnic
* Lauris Edmond, The Pear Tree: Poems
* R. Ensing, editor, Private Gardens, anthology of New Zealand women poets
* Kendrick Smithyman, Dwarf with a Billiard Cue, Auckland: Auckland University Press and Oxford University Press
* Ian Wedde, Spells for Coming Out, New Zealand

### South Africa

* Mafika Gwala, Jol'iinkomo

### United Kingdom

* Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
* Kamau Brathwaite, Mother Poem
* Joseph Brodsky: Poems and Translations, Keele: University of Keele Russian-American (but published in the United Kingdom; see United States section for a book published there)
* Donald Davies, To Scorch or Freeze
* Carol Ann Duffy and Adrian Henri, Beauty and the Beast
* Elaine Feinstein:
** Some Unease and Angels, Hutchinson
** Selected Poems, University Center, Michigan, Green River Press
* W. S. Graham, Implements in their Places
* Michael Hamburger, Real Estate
* Adrian Henri, City Hedges
* Ted Hughes, Gaudete, derived from an abandoned film scenario, the book has elements of a poetic novel, narrative poem and verse play
* Elizabeth Jennings, Consequently I Rejoice
* Norman MacCaig, Tree of Strings
* Sorley MacLean, pen name of Somhairle MacGill-Eain, Spring Tide and Neap Tide [Reothairt is Contraigh], in Gaelic and English
* Paul Muldoon, Mules, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
* Tom Paulin, A State of Justice, Northern Ireland poet published in the United Kingdom
* Kathleen Raine, The Oval Portrait, and Other Poems
* Peter Scupham, The Hinterland
* R. S. Thomas, The Way of It
* Anthony Thwaite, A Portion for Foxes

### United States

* A. R. Ammons:
** Highgate Road
** The Selected Poems: 1951-1977
** The Snow Poems
* John Ashbery, Houseboat Days
* Ted Berrigan:
** Clear The Range
** Nothing For You
* John Berryman, Henry's Fate and Other Poems, 1967-1972, with 45 previously unpublished "Dream Songs" (posthumous)
* Joseph Payne Brennan, The Riddle (Fantome Press)
* Frank Bidart, The Book of the Body
* Elizabeth Bishop, Geography III, which includes "In the Waiting Room," "The Moose," and the villanelle, "One Art"
* Joseph Brodsky: A Part of Speech Russian-American (see United Kingdom section for a book published there)
* Robert Bly, This Body is Made of Camphor and Gopherwood
* Billy Collins, Pokerface
* Frank Belknap Long, In Mayan Splendor
* Michael S. Harper, Images of Kin (1977), won the Melville-Cane Award from the Poetry Society of America; nominated for the National Book Award
* Robert Lowell, Day by Day
* W. S. Merwin:
** The Compass Flower, New York: Atheneum
** Translator, Vertical Poetry, poems by Roberto Juarroz; San Francisco: Kayak (reprinted in 1988; San Francisco: North Point Press)
* W. S. Merwin and J. Moussaieff Mason, translators, Sanskrit Love Poetry, New York: Columbia University Press (published in 1981 as Peacock's Egg: Love Poems from Ancient India, San Francisco: North Point Press)
* Michael Palmer, Without Music (Black Sparrow Press)
* Carl Rakosi, My Experience in Parnassus
* Charles Reznikoff, Poems 1937-1975 (published posthumously)
* Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Prussian Nights, translated into English from the original Russian by Robert Conquest; first written in 1951; first published in 1974
* Gary Soto, The Elements of San Joaquin

## Works published in other languages

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

### Denmark

* Vita Andersen, Tryghedsnarkomaner
* Jørgen Gustava Brandt, Ophold
* Klaus Høeck:
** Projekt Perseus, publisher: Gyldendal
** Ulrike Marie Meinhof, publisher: Gyldendal
* Vagn Lundbye, Digte 1977
* Jess Ornsbo, Digte uden arbejde
* Charlotte Strandgaard, Naesten kun om kaerlighed

### French language
#### Canada, in French

* Denise Boucher and Madeleine Gagnon, Retailles
* Claude Gavreau, Ouvres créatrices complètes (posthumous)
* Michel Leclerc, La Traversée du réel
* Pierre Nepveu, Épisodes, Montréal: l'Hexagone

#### France

* Samuel Beckett, Collected Poems in English and French, Irish native living in France and published in the United Kingdom
* Yves Bonnefoy, Rue Traversière
* André du Bouchet, Air (1950–1953)
* Alain Delahaye, L'etre perdu
* Philippe Denis, Malgré la bouche
* Roger Giroux, published posthumously (died 1973):
** S
** L'arbre le Temps suivi le Lieu-Je et de Lettre
* Eugene Guilleveic, Du domaine
* Emmanuel Hocquard, Album d'images de la Villa Harris
* Georges Perec, Alphabets
* Jacques Roubaud, Autobiographie chapitre dix
* Alain Veinstein, Recherche des dispositions anciennes

### German language
#### East Germany

* Sarah Kirsch, Rückenwind, love poems
* Paul Günter Krohn, Alle meine Namen

#### West Germany

* Herbert Asmodi [de], Jokers Farewell
* Gotthard de Beauclair, Zeit, Überzeit
* Rolf Haufs, Die Geschwindigkeit eines einzigen Tages
* Karl Krowlow, Der Einfachheit halber
* Norbert Mecklenburg, Naturlyrik und Gesellschaft Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta (scholarship)

### Hebrew

* Nathan Alterman, a posthumous book of poems
* O. Bernstein, a book of poems
* Simon Halkin, a book of the collected poems and works
* Hurvitz, a book of poems
* Shimshon Meltzer, a book of the collected poems and works
* Gabriel Preil, a book of poems
* Dalia Ravikovitch, a book of poems
* Yonatan Ratosh, a book of poems
* Shin Shalom, a book of poems
* Y. Wallach, a book of collected poems
* Meir Wieseltier, a book of poems
* Avot Yeshurun, a book of poems
* Zussman, a posthumous book of poems

### India

In each section, listed in alphabetical order by first name:

#### Malayalam

* Sugathakumari, Raathrimazha (Night Rain)

#### Oriya

* Mohan Upendra Thakur, Baji Uthal Murali
* Rajendra Kishore Panda:
** Satadru Anek, Cuttack: Agradoot
** Ghunakshara, Cuttack: Cuttack Students' Store

#### Sindhi

* Hari Daryani, Pala Pala Jo Parlau
* Harumal Isardas Sadarangani, Cikha
* Parsram Rohra, O Nava Halaina Vara

#### Urdu

* Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi Dhoop Aur Chandni (The Sunlight and the Moonlight) - Collection of poems published by Radha Krishan Sehgal, Bazm-e-Seemab, J 5/21, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi in 1977.

#### Other languages in India

* K. Satchidanandan, Kavita, ("Poetry"); Malayalam-language
* Nilmani Phookan; Assamese-language:
** Golapi Jamur Lagna, Guwahati, Assam: Bani Prakash
** Editor, Kuri Satikar Asomiya Kavita, an anthology of modern Assamese poetry; Guwahati, Assam: Asom Prakashan Parishad
* Siddayya Puranika, Vacanodyana, modern vachana poetry, Kannada-language

### Italy

* Bartolo Cattafi, Marzo e le sue idi
* Giovanni Guidici, Il male de creditori
* Tommaso Landolfi, Il tradimento
* Eugenio Montale, Tutte le poesie, publisher: Mondadori (enlarged edition published posthumously in 1984)
* Maria Luisa Spaziani, Transito con catene

### Norway

* Hans Børli, Vinden ser aldri pa veviserne
* Jan Magnus Bruheim, Lyrespelaren
* Gunvor Hofmo, Hva fanger natten
* Peter R. Holm, I disse bilder
* Stein Mehren, Det trettende stjernebilde
* Sigmund Skard, Ord mot mørkret
* Helge Vatsend, Livets bok

### Portuguese language
#### Portugal

* Ruy de Moura Belo, Despeço-me da terra da alegria ("I Bid Farewell to the Land of Happiness")
* Herberto Helder, Cobra
* António Ramos Rosa, Boca Incompleta
* Sophia Andresen, O Nome das Coisas
* Fiama Brandão, Homenagem à Literatura
* Liberto Cruz, Distància
* Vitorino Nemésio, Sapateia Açoriana

#### Brazil

* Carlos Nejar, Árvore do mundo
* Décio Pignatari
** Poesia / Pois é / Poesia (poems)
** Comunicacao poética (critical theory about poetry)
* Murilo Mendes, a posthumous collection of poems edited by João Cabral de Melo Neto, with a study by José Guilherme Merquior

### Russia

* Arkadi Kuleshov, a book of poems
* Bella Akhmadulina:
** Candle
** Dreams of Georgia
* Alexander Mezhirov, Очертания вещей ("Outline of things"), Russia, Soviet Union
* Valentin Sorokin, a book of poems
* Stepan Shchipachev, a book of poems
* Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Prussian Nights, narrative poem, much of it composed in his head when he was in concentration camps
* Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a book of poems
* "[L]esser-known poets who attracted attention":
** Konstantin Vanshenkin
** Anatoly Zhigulin
** Rimma Kazakova
** Viktor Bokov
** Maya Borisova
** Stanslav Zolotsev

### Spanish language
#### Spain

* Francisco Brines, Insistencia en Luzbel
* Matilde Camus, Cancionero de Liébana ("Collection of verse of Liebana")
* José María Valverde, Ser de palabra

#### Latin America

* Mario Benedetti, La casa y el ladrillo ("The House and the Brick"), Uruguay
* Antonio Cisneros, el libro de dios y de los húngaros (Peru)
* Jaime Sabines, Nuevo recuento de poemas (Mexico)
* Efraín Huerta, Circuito interior (Mexico)
* David Huerta, Cuadernos de noviembre (Mexico)

### Yiddish

* David Hofshteyn, a two-volume selection of poems
* Josl Lerner, Till Dawn Breaks, partly written in a German-Romanian death camp during World War II
* Chaim Maltinsky, My Mother's Resemblance
* Hirsh Osherovitch, Song in a Labyrinth
* Shloyme Roitman, My Israel Shofar
* Efraim Roitman, The Earth Sings
* Motl Saktzier, With a Burned Pencil, about his experiences in Soviet gulags
* M.M. Shaffir, Words of Endearment
* Avrom Sutzkever, Poems from My Diary
* Rajzel Zychlinska, The Sun of November

### Other languages

* Stanisław Barańczak, Ja wiem, ze to niesluszne ("I Know It's Not Right"), Paris: Instytut Literacki; Polish
* Anne-Marie Berglund, Luftberusningen, Sweden
* Chen Yi, Selected Poems; China
* Odysseus Elytis, Signalbook (Σηματολόγιον); Greece
* Ndoc Gjetja, Qëndresa ("Center"); Albania
* Gozo Yoshimasu, river, Written in Cursive Characters; Japan
* Lars Gustafsson, Sonetter; Sweden
* Per E. Rundquist, Men störst av allt är kärleken till vem; (Sweden
* Piotr Sommer, W krześle; Poland
* Marlene van Niekerk, Sprokkelster; South Africa
* Wen Wu-pin, Battle Songs of Tachai; China
* Yasuo Irisawa, Moon and Other Poems; Japan

## Awards and honors

* Nobel Prize in Literature: Vicente Aleixandre (Spain)

### Canada

* 1977 Governor General's Awards

### United Kingdom

* Eric Gregory Award: Tony Flynn, Michael Vince, David Cooke, Douglas Marshall, Melissa Murray
* Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry: Norman Nicholson

### United States

* AML Award for Poetry to Linda Sillitoe for "The Old Philosopher, Letter to a Four-Year-Old Daughter" and Arthur Henry King for "The Field Behind Holly House"
* Bollingen Prize: David Ignatow
* National Book Award for Poetry: Richard Eberhart, Collected Poems, 1930-1976
* Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: James Merrill, Divine Comedies
* Walt Whitman Award: Lauren Shakely, Guilty Bystander
* Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets: Louis Coxe

## Births

* April 18 — Ilya Kaminsky, Soviet-born Russian- and English-language poet
* September 25 — Sole, American hip hop artist
* Jenni Fagan, Scottish novelist and poet

## Deaths

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
* January 5 — Artur Adson, 87, Estonian poet and critic
* January 21 — Sandro Penna, 70, Italian
* February 2 — Rashid Hussein, 41, Palestinian Arabic poet in the United States, in fire
* April 7 — Elizabeth Daryush, 96, English poet, daughter of Robert Bridges
* April 11 — Jacques Prévert, 77, French
* September 12 — Robert Lowell, 60, American, from a heart attack
* November 30 — Miloš Crnjanski, 84, Serbian poet and novelist
* December 18 — Louis Untermeyer, 92, American author, poet, anthologist and editor
* December 30 — Katherine C. Biddle, 87, American
* Also — Gitaujali Badruddin, 16, Indian girl poet