Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).

• Jan Blahoslav, author and editor, Ivančice hymn-book, a revised edition of the (Protestant) Polish-language Šamotulský kancionál ("Šamotulský hymn-book") 1561, Czech^[1]
• Helius Eobanus Hessus, Idyls, German writing in Latin, third revised edition, Frankfort (see also first edition 1509)^[2]
• Jan Kochanowski, Chess (Szachy), published either this year or in 1565, Polish

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• February 26 – baptism date of Christopher Marlowe (died 1593), English dramatist and poet
• April 26 – baptism date of William Shakespeare (died 1616), English dramatist and poet (traditional birthdate April 23)
• Date unknown – Henry Reynolds (died 1632), English poet, schoolmaster and literary critic

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• February 18 – Michelangelo (Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni) (born 1475), Italian painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer
• June 17 – Atagi Fuyuyasu (born 1528), Japanese samurai and poet
• Purandara Dasa (born 1484), Hindu composer of Carnatic music and Kannada poetry
• Rupa Goswami (born 1489), Hindu devotional teacher, poet, and philosopher
• Gruffudd Hiraethog (born unknown), Welsh language poet and scholar
• Maurice Sceve, death year uncertain (born c. 1501), French

• Poetry
• 16th century in poetry
• 16th century in literature
• Dutch Renaissance and Golden Age literature
• Elizabethan literature
• French Renaissance literature
• Renaissance literature
• Spanish Renaissance literature