Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).
February 14 – French poet Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard is discovered hiding under the bed of Mary, Queen of Scots. He is executed about a week later.
Anonymous, The Courte of Venus, publication year conjectural, revised from the 1538 edition, with several other ballads
Barnabe Googe, Eglogs, Epytaphes, and Sonettes (sources disagree on the year of publication; another source gives the year as 1562
Antonio Sebastiano Minturno, L'arte poetica, criticism
Giangiorgio Trissino, La poetica, Books 5–6 (Books 1–4 published in 1529), Italy
José de Anchieta, De Gestis Meni de Saa ("The deeds of Mem"), printed in Coimbra; written about 1560; Spanish in Brazil
Pierre de Ronsard, Trois livres du recueil de nouvelles poesies, France, criticism
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
Michael Drayton (died 1631), England
Heo Nanseolheon (died 1589), Korean scholar and poet who also wrote in Chinese, a woman
Pierre Matthieu (died 1621), French playwright, poet and historian
Josuah Sylvester (died 1618), England
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
March 19 – Arthur Brooke (born unknown), English poet whose only known work is The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), considered to be William Shakespeare's chief source for his famous play Romeo and Juliet
May 21 – Martynas Mažvydas (born 1510), author and editor of the first printed book in the Lithuanian language, including the first poetry
August 18 – Étienne de La Boétie (born 1530), French political philosopher and sonnet writer
William Baldwin (born c.