1666 in poetry

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

Events

 * In Denmark, Anders Bording begins publishing Den Danske Meercurius ("The Danish Mercury"), a monthly newspaper in rhyme, using alexandrine verse, single-handedly published by the author from this year to 1677

Works published

 * George Alsop, A Character of the Province of Maryland, English Colonial American
 * Edmund Waller, Instructions to a Painter (the first 64 lines had been published anonymously on a single sheet in 1665)
 * George Wither, Sigh for he Pitchers

Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
 * November 12 – Mary Astell (died 1732), English feminist writer

Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
 * February 12 – Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (born 1602), English nobleman, politician, and writer
 * June 15 – Łukasz Opaliński (born 1612), Polish nobleman, poet, writer and political activist
 * June 16 – Sir Richard Fanshawe (born 1608), English diplomat, translator and poet
 * June 30 – Alexander Brome (born 1620), English
 * October – James Shirley (born 1596), English poet and playwright
 * November – Jeremias de Dekker (born 1610), Dutch
 * November 3 (bur.) – James Howell (born 1594), English pamphleteer and poet
 * Gysbert Japiks (born 1603), Frisian writer, poet, schoolteacher and cantor
 * Jean Ogier de Gombauld (born 1576), French playwright and poet