1840 in poetry

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

Events

 * The Percy Society is established in Britain to publish scholarly editions of early ballads, poems and other works in English.

United Kingdom

 * Thomas Aird, Orthuriel, and Other Poems
 * Matthew Arnold, Alaric at Rome
 * Robert Browning, Sordello
 * Caroline Clive, under the pen name "V", IX Poems by 'V'
 * Thomas De Quincey, Recollections of the Lake Poets, final two essays on the Lake Poets published in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (first essay published in 1836; see also Recollections 1835, 1839):
 * "Westmoreland and the Dalesmen," January
 * "Society of the Lakes, I, II, and III," January, March, and June
 * Frederick William Faber, The Cherwell Water-Lily, and Other Poems
 * Monckton Milnes, Poetry for the People
 * Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
 * Robert Owen, The Social Bible
 * Percy Bysshe Shelley (died 1822), edited by Mary Shelley, Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments, including the essay "Defence of Poetry"
 * William Wordsworth, The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, six volumes (see also reprint of 1842 with a seventh volume of additional poems; Miscellaneous Poems 1820; Poetical Works 1827; Poetical Works 1836; Poems 1845; Poetical Works 1857; Poetical Works, Centenary Edition, 1870)

Other in English

 * Philip Pendleton Cooke, "Florence Vane", a popular ballad, often anthologized, written for the author's cousin; first published in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine at Edgar Allan Poe's request; United States
 * Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
 * Frances Sargent Osgood, The Casket of Fate, United States
 * Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Wreck of the Hesperus", in New World, January 10, United States

Works published in other languages

 * Hans Christian Andersen, Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian"), Denmark
 * José de Espronceda, Poesías, including complete version of El estudiante de Salamanca, Spain
 * Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Ulrich Zwingli, Switzerland
 * Victor Hugo, Les Rayons et les Ombres ("Beams and shadows"), France
 * Mikhail Lermontov, Mtsyri ("The Novice"), Russia
 * Taras Shevchenko, Kobzar ("The Bard"), Russia
 * Henrik Wergeland, Jan van Huysums Blomsterstykke ("Flower-piece by Jan van Huysum"), Norway

Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
 * January 13 – Nicholas Flood Davin (died 1901), Irish-born Canadian lawyer, journalist, politician and poet
 * January 18 – Henry Austin Dobson (died 1921), English poet and essayist
 * February 2 – Griffith Williams (Gutyn Peris) (died 1838), Welsh poet
 * March 5 – Constance Fenimore Woolson (died 1894), American novelist, short-story writer and poet; a grandniece of James Fenimore Cooper
 * March 18 – William Cosmo Monkhouse (died 1901), English poet and critic
 * June 2 – Thomas Hardy (died 1928), English novelist and poet
 * August 17 – Wilfred Scawen Blunt (died 1922), English poet and writer
 * September 20 – Ellen Mary Clerke (died 1906), Irish author, journalist, poet and science writer
 * October 5 – John Addington Symonds (died 1893), English poet and literary critic

Deaths
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:
 * June 7 – Népomucène Lemercier (born 1771), French poet and playwright
 * June 12 – Gerald Griffin (born 1803), Irish novelist, poet and playwright
 * July – Goronwy Owen (born 1723), Welsh poet
 * July 7 – Nikolai Stankevich (born 1813), Russian philosopher and poet