1957 in poetry

Overview of the events of 1957 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).

January 10 – T. S. Eliot marries his secretary Valerie Fletcher, almost 40 years his junior, in a private church ceremony. March 15 – Élet és Irodalom first published in Hungary as a literary magazine. March 25 – Copies of Allen Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems (first published 1 November 1956) printed in England are seized by United States Customs Service officials in San Francisco on the grounds of obscenity. On October 3, in People v. Ferlinghetti, a subsequent prosecution of publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti in the city, the work is ruled not to be obscene. The trial brings significant attention to the participants and other poets of the Beat Generation. Ginsberg surprises the literary world by abandoning San Francisco. After a spell in Morocco, he and Peter Orlovsky move to Paris, France, at the suggestion of Gregory Corso, who introduces them to a shabby lodging house above a bar at 9 rue Gît le Cœur kept by Mme Rachou, where they are soon joined by William S. Burroughs and others, including young painters, writers and black jazz musicians. The building becomes known as the "Beat Hotel". The writers' time here is a productive, creative period for many of them. Here, Ginsberg finishes his poem "Kaddish", Corso composes "Bomb" and "Marriage", and Burroughs (with Ginsberg and Corso's help) puts together the novel Naked Lunch from previous writings. Corso returns to New York in 1958; the "hotel" closes in 1963; and Ginsberg and Orlovsky leave for travels to India in 1967. Autumn – Black Mountain Review literary magazine folds. Shi'r ("Poetry") magazine is founded in Beirut by Syrian born poets Yusuf al Khal and 'Adunis'. The journal is a showcase for experimental Arabic poetry as well as translations of poetry from European languages.

D. Stewart and N. Keesing, editors, Old Bush Songs and Rhymes of Colonial Times, anthology (Australia)

R. Menendez Pidal, editor, Espana y su historia
J. M. Blecua, Floresta lírica espanola

Fastenrath Prize (Spain) for the best poetry published in the past four years: J. García Nieto, La red