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

• After August 16 – Sir William Davenant becomes poet laureate of England on the death of Ben Jonson (on the death of Davenant in 1668, he is succeeded by John Dryden)

• Sir William Alexander, Recreations with the Muses, contains Four Monarchicke Tragedies, Doomesday, A Paraenesis to Prince Henry (all previously published), and Jonathan: An heroicke poem^[1]
• Arthur Johnston, Scottish poet writing in Latin
  • Psalmorum Davidis paraphrasis poetica et canticorum evangelicorum, translation of the Psalms
  • Deliciae poetarum Scotorum huius aevi illustrium, edited anthology
• Thomas Jordan, Poeticall Varieties; or, Varietie of Fancies^[1] including "Coronemus nos Rosis antequam marcescant" ("Let us drink and be merry")
• Ralph Knevet, Funerall Elegies, elegies on Lady Katherine Paston^[1]
• Shackerley Marmion, The Legend of Cupid and Psyche^[1]
• Nathaniel Whiting, Le hore di recreatione; or, The Pleasant Historie of Albino and Bellama^[1]

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

• August 16 – Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (died 1706), German countess and hymn writer

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

• Before July – Henry Adamson (born 1581), Scottish poet and historian
• February 3 – Gervase Markham (born 1568), English poet and writer
• May 29 – Jiří Třanovský, also known as "Juraj Tranovský" or "Georgius Tranoscius" (Latinized) (born 1592), Czech and Slovak hymnwriter, sometimes called the father of Slovak hymnody and the "Luther of the Slavs"
• July 26 – Philippe Habert (born 1604), French poet
• August 10 – Edward King (born 1612), Irish poet writing in Latin in England; a friend of John Milton who writes "Lycidas" in his memory (contributed to Justa Edouardo King Naufrago, 1638); drowned in shipwreck in the Irish Sea
• c. August 16 – Ben Jonson (born 1572), English playwright and poet
• Johannes Narssius (born 1580), Dutch-born New Latin poet and physician

• 17th century in literature
• 17th century in poetry
• Poetry