List of English-language poets

This is a list of English language poets, who wrote or write much of their poetry in the English language.

A

 * Harold Acton (1904–1994)
 * Gilbert Adair (born 1944)
 * Helen Adam (1909–1993)
 * Arthur Henry Adams (1872–1936)
 * Robert Adamson (1852–1902)
 * Fleur Adcock (born 1934)
 * Joseph Addison (1672–1719)
 * Mark Akenside (1721–1770)
 * Sidney A. Alexander (1866–1948)
 * James Alexander Allan (1889–1956)
 * Leslie Holdsworthy Allen (1879–1964)
 * William Allingham (1824/28-1889)
 * Bert Almon (1943- )
 * Kingsley Amis (1922–1995)
 * Ethel Anderson (1883–1958)
 * Bruce Andrews (born 1948)
 * Maya Angelou (born 1928)
 * Rae Armantrout (born 1947)
 * Simon Armitage (born 1963)
 * Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
 * John Ashbery (born 1927)
 * Thomas Ashe (1836–1889)
 * John Askham (1825-1894)
 * Thea Astley (1925–2004)
 * Edwin Atherstone (1788–1872)
 * Margaret Atwood (born 1939)
 * Dorothy Auchterlonie (1915–1991)
 * W.H. Auden (1907–1973)
 * Pam Ayres (born 1947)
 * Sir Robert Aytoun (1570–1638)
 * William Aytoun (1813–1865)
 * Allan Ahlberg (1938– )

Ba

 * Joanna Baillie (1762–1851)
 * Kevin Bailey (born 1953)
 * Jesse Ball (born 1978)
 * John Banim (1798–1842)
 * Lex Banning (born 1921)
 * Amiri Baraka (born 1934)
 * Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743–1825)
 * John Barbour (died 1395)
 * Joel Barlow (1754–1812)
 * Mary Barnard (1909–2002)
 * Syd Barret
 * Les Barker (born 1947)
 * Richard Barnfield (1574–1620)
 * Djuna Barnes (1892–1982)
 * William Barnes (1801–1886)
 * Bernard Barton (1784–1849)
 * Todd Bash (born 1965)
 * David Bates (1809–1870)
 * H.E. Bates (1905–1974)
 * James K. Baxter (1926–1972)
 * Arthur Bayldon (1865–1958)
 * William Baylebridge (1883–1942)

Be-Bo

 * Francis Beaumont (1586–1616)
 * Bruce Beaver (1928–2004)
 * John Beecher (1904-1980)
 * Aphra Behn (1640–1689)
 * Lisa Bellear (1961-2006)
 * Gwendolyn B. Bennett (1902–1981)
 * Jim Bennett, (born 1951)
 * Bill Berkson (born 1939)
 * Charles Bernstein (born 1950)
 * Anselm Berrigan (born 1972)
 * Ted Berrigan (1934–1983)
 * Wendell Berry (born 1934)
 * John Berryman (1914–1972)
 * John Betjeman (1906–1984)
 * Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)
 * Samuel Bishop (1731–1795)
 * Sophie Cabot Black (born 1958)
 * Thomas Blacklock (1721–1791)
 * Peter Bladen (1922–2001)
 * William Blake (1757–1827)
 * Susanna Blamire (1747–1794)
 * John Blight (1913–1995)
 * Mathilde Blind (1841–1896)
 * Edmund Blunden (1896–1974)
 * Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840–1922)
 * Barcroft Boake (1866–1892)
 * George Henry Boker (1823–1890)
 * Eavan Boland (born 1944)
 * Ken Bolton (born 1949)
 * Horatius Bonar (1808–1889)
 * Sean Bonney
 * Arna Wendell Bontemps (1902–1973)
 * Henry Ernest Boote (1866-1949)
 * Keith Bosley (born 1937)
 * Jenny Boult (1951-2005)
 * John Philip Bourke (1860–1914)
 * A.P. Bowen (ca. 1895)
 * Mark Alexander Boyd (1563–1601)

Br-By

 * Francis Brabazon (1907-1984)
 * Thomas Bracken (1843–1898)
 * Anne Bradstreet (c. 1612–1672)
 * E.J. Brady (1869–1952)
 * Richard Brautigan (1935–1984)
 * John Jefferson Bray (1912-1995)
 * Christopher Brennan (1870–1932)
 * John Le Gay Brereton (1871–1933)
 * Nicholas Breton (1542–1626)
 * Ken Brewer (1941–2006)
 * Martha Wadsworth Brewster (1710 - c.1757)
 * Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
 * James Brock (born 1958)
 * Anne Brontë
 * Charlotte Brontë
 * Emily Brontë (1818–1848)
 * Rupert Brooke (1887–1915)
 * Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000)
 * Sterling A. Brown (1901–1989)
 * Dr. Stewart Brown
 * Thomas Edward Brown (1830–1897)
 * Isaac Hawkins Browne (1705–1760)
 * William Browne (1588–1643)
 * Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861)
 * Robert Browning (1812–1889)
 * Charles Bruce (1906-1971)
 * William Cullen Bryant (1794–1878)
 * Vincent Buckley (1925–1988)
 * Charles Bukowski (1920–1994)
 * Basil Bunting (1900–1985)
 * Anthony Burgess (1917–1993)


 * Richard Burns (born 1943)
 * Robert Burns (1759–1796)
 * George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (1788–1824)

Ca-Ci

 * Richard Caddel
 * Alex Caldiero
 * Charles Stuart Calverley (1831–1884)
 * Ada Cambridge (1844-1926)
 * Thomas Campbell (1774–1844)
 * Thomas Campion (1567–1620)
 * Mary Wedderburn Cannan (1893–1973)
 * Thomas Carew (1595–1639)
 * Henry Carey (1693–1743)
 * Lewis Carroll (1832–1898)
 * William Cartwright (1611–1643)
 * Raymond Carver (1938–1988)
 * Alice Cary
 * Phoebe Cary
 * Charles Causley (1917–2003)
 * Constantine Cavafy
 * Joseph Ceravolo
 * John Chalkhill
 * William Ellery Channing (1818–1901)
 * George Chapman (1560–1634)
 * Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400)
 * Maxine Chernoff (born 1952)
 * James Wm. Chichetto
 * Billy Childish (born 1959)
 * Hubert Church (1857–1932)
 * Colley Cibber (1671–1757)
 * Sandra Cisneros (born 1954)
 * Carson Cistulli (born 1979)

Cl

 * John Clare (1793–1864)
 * Thomas A. Clark
 * Tom Clark
 * Amy Key Clarke (1892-1980)
 * Austin Clarke (1886–1974)
 * Jack Clarke
 * Marcus Clarke (1846-1881)
 * Brendan Cleary
 * John Cleveland (1613–1658)
 * Michelle Cliff
 * Lucille Clifton
 * Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861)

Co-Cu

 * Florence Earle Coates (1850–1927)
 * Bob Cobbing
 * Brian Coffey (1905–1995)
 * Leonard Cohen (born 1934)
 * Norma Cole
 * Helena Coleman (1860-1953)
 * Hartley Coleridge (1796–1849)
 * Mary Elizabeth Coleridge (1861–1907)
 * Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)
 * Billy Collins (born 1941)
 * William Collins (1721–1759)
 * Laurence Collinson (1925-1986)
 * William Congreve (1670–1729)
 * Paul Conneally (born 1959)
 * Henry Constable (1562–1613)
 * Eliza Cook (1818–1889)
 * Clark Coolidge*
 * Thomas Cooper (poet) (1805–1892)
 * Wendy Cope (born 1945)
 * Richard Corbet (1582–1635)
 * Cid Corman
 * Jayne Cortez
 * William Johnson Cory (1823–1892)
 * Louisa Stuart Costello (1799–1877)
 * Anne Ross Cousin (1824–1906)
 * Abraham Cowley (1618–1667)
 * William Cowper (1731–1800)
 * George Crabbe (1754–1832)
 * Richard Crashaw (1613–1649)
 * E.E. Cummings (1894–1962)
 * Sarah Anne Curzon (1833-1898)

Da-Do

 * Victor Daley (1858-1905)
 * George Dance (born 1953)
 * Samuel Daniel (1562–1619)
 * George Darley (1795–1846)
 * Tina Darragh
 * Robert von Dassanowsky (aka Robert Dassanowsky)
 * William Davenant (1606–1668)
 * John Davidson (1837–1909)
 * Michael Davidson (born 1944)
 * Alan Davies
 * John Davies (1569–1626)
 * Jack Davis (1917-2000)
 * Norma L. Davis (1905-1945)
 * Thomas Davis (1814–1845)
 * Dulcie Deamer (1890-1972)
 * Thomas Dekker (1575–1641)
 * John Denham (1615–1669)
 * Enid Derham (1882-1941)
 * Thomas Dermody (1775–1802)
 * Heather Derr-Smith (born 1971)
 * James Devaney (1890-1976)
 * Denis Devlin (1908–1959)
 * Imtiaz Dharker (born 1954)
 * James Dickey (1923–1997)
 * Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
 * Peter Didsbury (born 1946)
 * Ray DiPalma
 * Diane Di Prima
 * Pete Doherty
 * John Donaldson, aka Jon Inglis (1921–1989)
 * John Donne (1572–1631)
 * Theo Dorgan (born 1953)
 * Mark Doty
 * Keith Douglas (1920–1944)
 * Mike Doughty (born 1970)
 * Rita Dove
 * Gordon Downie
 * Ernest Dowson (1867–1900)
 * Francis Hastings Doyle (1810–1888)
 * Kirby Doyle (1932–2003)

Dr-Dy

 * Michael Dransfield (1948-1973)
 * Michael Drayton (1563–1631)
 * Adam Drinan AKA Joseph Macleod (1903–1984)
 * William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585–1649)
 * John Dryden (1631–1700)
 * Norman Dubie (1945-
 * W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963)
 * Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)
 * Charles Gavan Duffy (1816–1903)
 * Alan Dugan (1923–2003)
 * MIchael Dugan (1947-2006)
 * Jas H. Duke (1939-1982)
 * Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)
 * William Dunbar (1465–1520)
 * Andrew Duncan (born 1956)
 * Robert Duncan (1919–1988)
 * Douglas Dunn (born 1942)
 * Max Dunn (died 1963)
 * John Dyer (1699-1757)
 * Bob Dylan (born 1941)
 * Edward Dyson (1865-1931)

E

 * Richard Eberhart (1904–2005) (died at the three digit age of 101)
 * Richard Edwardes (c. 1523–1566)
 * Anne Elder (1918-1976)
 * T.S. Eliot (1888–1965)
 * Jean Elliot (1727–1805)
 * Ebenezer Elliott (1781–1849)
 * Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
 * Chris Emery (born 1963)
 * William Empson (1906–1984)
 * D.J. Enright (1920–2002)
 * Theodore Enslin (born 1925)
 * Sir George Etherege (1635–1691)
 * George Essex Evans (1863-1909)
 * Mari Evans
 * John K. Ewers (1904-1978)

F

 * Samuel Ferguson (1810–1886)
 * Roderick Flanagan (1828-1862)
 * Jack Foley (1940)
 * Mary Hannay Foott (1846-1918)
 * William Forster (1818-1882)
 * Mary Eliza Fullerton (1868-1946)
 * Richard Furness (1791–1857)

Ga-Go

 * Samuel Garth
 * George Gascoigne (1525–1577)
 * David Gascoyne (1916–2001)
 * John Gay (1685–1732)
 * Ross Gay
 * William Gay (1865–1897)
 * Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904–1991)
 * Leon Gellert (1892-1977)
 * Charles Ghigna (Father Goose) (born 1946)
 * Dame Mary Gilmour
 * Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997)
 * Nikki Giovanni (born 1943)
 * Jesse Glass (born 1954)
 * Denis Glover (1912–1980)
 * Louise Gluck
 * Albert Goldbarth (born 1948)
 * Kenneth Goldsmith (born 1961)
 * Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774)
 * Hedwig Gorski (born 1949)

Gr-Gy

 * W.S. Graham (1918-1986)
 * Richard Graves (1715–1804)
 * Robert Graves (1895–1985)
 * Thomas Gray (1716–1771)
 * Robert Greene (1558–1592)
 * Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke (1554–1628)
 * Gerald Griffin (1803–1840)
 * Bill Griffiths (born 1948)
 * Nicholas Grimald (1519–1562)
 * Angelina Weld Grimké (1880–1958)
 * Charlotte Forten Grimké (1837–1914)
 * Barbara Guest (1920–2006)
 * Edgar Guest (1881–1959)
 * Arthur Guiterman (1871–1943)
 * Thom Gunn (1929–2004)
 * Ivor Gurney (1890–1937)
 * Brion Gysin (1916–1986)

Ha-He

 * William Habington (1605–1654)
 * Thomas Gordon Hake (1809–1895)
 * Katherine Hale (1878-1956)
 * Alan Halsey
 * Ronald Hambleton (1917- )
 * Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)
 * Joy Harjo
 * William Harmon
 * Michael S. Harper
 * Tony Harrison (born 1937)
 * Carla Harryman
 * Sadakichi Hartmann (1867–1944)
 * F.W. Harvey (1888-1957)
 * Lee Harwood (born 1939)
 * Alamgir Hashmi
 * Stephen Hawes (died 1523)
 * Robert Hayden
 * Robert Hayman (1575–1629)
 * Seamus Heaney (born 1939)
 * Jennifer Michael Hecht (born 1965)
 * Anthony Hecht (1923–2004)
 * Allison Hedge Coke (born 1958)
 * John Hegley
 * Lyn Hejinian
 * Felicia Hemans (1793–1835)
 * Essex Hemphill
 * William Ernest Henley (1849–1903)
 * George Herbert (1593–1632)
 * Robert Herrick (1591–1674)
 * Phoebe Hesketh (1909–2005)
 * Dorothy Hewett (1923–2002)
 * John Hewitt (1907–1987)
 * Thomas Heywood (c. 1570s – 1650)

Hi-Hu

 * Dick Higgins (1938–1998)
 * Scott Hightower (born 1952)
 * Conrad Hilberry
 * Geoffrey Hill (born 1932)
 * James Hogg (1770–1835)
 * Jane Holland (born 1966)
 * Anselm Hollo
 * Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–1894)
 * Thomas Hood (1798–1845)
 * Alec Derwent Hope (1907–2000)
 * Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889)
 * Frances Horovitz (1938–1983)
 * Michael Horovitz (born 1935)
 * George Moses Horton
 * A.E. Housman (1859–1936)
 * Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517–1547)
 * Richard Howard
 * Fanny Howe
 * Susan Howe
 * Ada Verdun Howell
 * Anthony Howell
 * Langston Hughes (1902–1967)
 * Ted Hughes (1930–1998)
 * Richard Hugo (1923–1982)
 * Alexander Hume (1560–1609)
 * Leigh Hunt (1784–1859)
 * Cynthia Huntington (born 1952)

I

 * P. Inman (born 1947)

J

 * Richard Jago (1715–1781)
 * John James
 * Lisa Jarnot (born 1967)
 * Randall Jarrell (1914–1965)
 * Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962)
 * Fenton Johnson
 * Georgia Douglas Johnson (10 September 1880 – 14 May 1966)
 * Helene Johnson (1906–1995)
 * James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938)
 * Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
 * George Benson Johnston (1913-2004)
 * David Jones (1 November 1895 – 28 October 1974)
 * Ebenezer Jones (1820–1860)
 * Emma Jones (born 1992)
 * Patrick Jones (born 1965)
 * Erica Jong (born 1942)
 * Ben Jonson (1573–1637)
 * June Jordan (born 1936)
 * Anthony Joseph
 * Jenny Joseph (born 1932)
 * James Joyce (1882–1941)
 * Trevor Joyce (born 1947)
 * Donald Justice (1925–2004)

K

 * Ilya Kaminsky
 * Mary Jane Katzmann (1828-1890)
 * Bob Kaufman (1925–1986)
 * Jayne Fenton Keane
 * John Keats (1795–1821)
 * Arthur Kelton (died c. 1550)
 * Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy ('Woodbine Willy'; 1883–1929)
 * Leo Kennedy (1907-2000)
 * Jack Kerouac (1922–1969)
 * Frederick Kesner (born 1967)
 * Sidney Keyes (1922–1943)
 * Keorapetse Kgositsile (born 1938)
 * Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918)
 * Arthur Henry King (1910–2000)
 * Henry King (1592–1669)
 * William King (1663–1712)
 * Galway Kinnell (born 1927)
 * John Kinsella
 * Thomas Kinsella (born 1927)
 * Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936)
 * Etheridge Knight
 * Kenneth Koch (1925–2002)
 * Yusef Komunyakaa (born 1948)
 * Anatoly Kudryavitsky (born 1954)
 * Stanley Kunitz (1905–2006)
 * Joanne Kyger

La-Ln

 * Sonnet L'Abbé (born 1973)
 * Nick Laird (born 1975)
 * Charles Lamb (1775–1834)
 * Tim Lander (born 1938)
 * Letitia Elizabeth Landon
 * Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864)
 * Sydney Lanier (1842–1881)
 * Emilia Lanier (1569–1645)
 * Beatrice Lao
 * Philip Larkin (1922–1985)
 * Evelyn Lau (born 1971)
 * D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930)
 * Henry Lawson (1867–1922)
 * Robert Lax (1915–2000)
 * Emma Lazarus (1849–1887)
 * Edward Lear (1812–1888)
 * Francis Ledwidge (1887–1917)
 * Joy Leftow (born 1949)
 * Sue Lenier (born 1957)
 * William Ellery Leonard (1876–1944)
 * John Leonard (born 1965)
 * Tom Leonard (born 1944)
 * Ben Lerner (born 1979)
 * Kenneth Leslie (1892-1974)
 * Philip Levine (born 1928)
 * Larry Levis (1946–1996)
 * D.A. Levy (1942–1968)
 * Alun Lewis (1915–1944)
 * C.S. Lewis (1898–1963)
 * Tao Lin (born 1983)

Lo-Ly

 * Douglas Lochhead (born 1922)
 * Thomas Lodge (1556–1625)
 * James Longenbach
 * Christopher Logue
 * Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
 * Michael Longley
 * Luis A. López
 * Audre Lorde (born 1934)
 * Richard Lovelace (1618–1658)
 * Samuel Lover (1797–1868)
 * Amy Lowell (1874–1925)
 * James Russell Lowell (1819–1891)
 * Robert Lowell
 * Mina Loy
 * Fitz Hugh Ludlow (1836–1870)
 * John Lydgate (1370–1450)
 * John Lyly (1553–1606)
 * George Lyttelton, Lord Lyttelton (1709–1773)

Ma-Mi

 * Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859)
 * Norman MacCaig (1910–1996)
 * Hugh MacDiarmid (1892–1978)
 * Seán Mac Falls
 * Roger McGough (1937 -)
 * Thomas MacGreevy (1893–1967)
 * Nathaniel Mackey
 * Lachlan Mackinnon
 * Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982)
 * Isaac McLellan (1806–1899)
 * Joseph Macleod (1903–1984)
 * Jackson Mac Low
 * Louis MacNeice (1907–1963)
 * Barry MacSweeney
 * Haki R. Madhubuti
 * Derek Mahon (born 1941)
 * Jennifer Maiden
 * Taylor Mali
 * David Mallet
 * Eli Mandel (1922-1992)
 * Miriam Mandel (1930-1982)
 * Tom Mandel
 * James Clarence Mangan (1803–1849)
 * Bill Manhire (born 1946)
 * Robert Mannyng (1269–1340)
 * Chris Mansell (born 1953)
 * Peter Manson (born 1969)
 * Morton Marcus (1936–2009)
 * Richard Marggraf Turley (born 1970)
 * Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)
 * William Martin (born 1922)
 * Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)
 * John Masefield (1878–1967)
 * Cleopatra Mathis (born 1947)
 * Paula Meehan (born 1955)
 * Herman Melville (1819–1891)
 * John Milton (1608–1674)
 * Gary Miranda (born 1939)

Mo-Mu

 * H. D. Moe
 * Anis Mojgani
 * Geraldine Monk
 * Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax (1661–1715)
 * James Montgomery (1771–1854)
 * Marianne Moore (1887–1972)
 * Robin Moore, (born 1954)
 * Thomas Moore (1779–1852)
 * Thomas Sturge Moore (1870-1944)
 * Barbara Moraff
 * Edythe Morahan de Lauzon
 * Edwin Morgan
 * Robin Morgan (born 1941)
 * Mervyn Morris
 * William Morris (1834–1896)
 * Jim Morrison (1943–1971)
 * Morrissey (born 1959)
 * Frank Morton (1869–1923)
 * Andrew Motion
 * Eric Mottram
 * Paul Muldoon (born 1951)
 * Harryette Mullen
 * Anthony Munday (1553–1633)
 * Sheila Murphy
 * Les Murray (born 1938)

N

 * Ogden Nash (1902–1971)
 * Thomas Nashe (1567–1601)
 * Alice Moore Dunbar Nelson
 * Howard Nemerov
 * Kenn Nesbitt (born 1962)
 * Aimee Nezhukumatathil (born 1974)
 * Henry Newbolt (1862–1938)
 * John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
 * Norman Nicholson (1914–1987)
 * Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin (born 1942)
 * Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (born 1952)
 * Lorine Niedecker (1903–1970)
 * Harry Northup (born 1940)
 * Alice Notley
 * Jeff Nuttall (1933–2004)
 * Naomi Shihab Nye (born 1952)

O

 * Sean O'Brien (born 1952)
 * Dennis O'Driscoll (born 1954)
 * Frank O'Hara
 * Theodore O'Hara (1820–1867)
 * Mary Oliver (born 1935)
 * Charles Olson (1910–1970)
 * Mary Devenport O'Neill (1879–1976)
 * George Oppen (1908–1984)
 * Peter Orlovsky (1933–2010)
 * Maggie O'Sullivan
 * Wilfred Owen (1893–1918)

P

 * Ruth Padel (born 1947)
 * Ron Padgett
 * Michael Palmer (born 1943)
 * Nettie Palmer
 * Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)
 * Thomas Parnell (1670–1718)
 * Kenneth Patchen (1911–1972)
 * Brian Patten (born 1946)
 * Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson (1864–1941)
 * Ricardo Pau-Llosa (born 1954)
 * Molly Peacock (born 1947)
 * Thomas Love Peacock (1785–1866)
 * Sam Pereira
 * Ambrose Philips
 * Tom Pickard (born 1946)
 * Robert Pinsky (born 1940)
 * Ruth Pitter (1897–1992)
 * Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)
 * Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)
 * Robert Pollok (c. 1798–1827)
 * Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
 * Charles Potts (born 1943)
 * Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
 * Jack Prelutsky
 * Nancy Price (1880–1970)
 * Richard Price (poet) (born 1966)
 * Matthew Prior (1664–1721)
 * Pauline Prior-Pitt
 * J.H. Prynne
 * Sheenagh Pugh (born 1950)

Q

 * Francis Quarles (1592–1644)

Ra-Ri

 * William Radice (born 1951)
 * Craig Raine (born 1944)
 * Kathleen Raine (1908–2003)
 * Carl Rakosi (1903–2004)
 * Sir Walter Raleigh (1552–1618)
 * Dudley Randall (1914–2000)
 * Julia Randall (1924–2005)
 * Thomas Randolph (1605–1635)
 * Tom Raworth (born 1938)
 * Henry Reed (1914–1986)
 * Ishmael Reed
 * Joseph Relph (1712–1743),
 * Kenneth Rexroth (1905–1982)
 * Charles Reznikoff (1894–1976)
 * Adrienne Rich (born 1929)
 * Lola Ridge (1873–1941)
 * Denise Riley
 * John Riley
 * Peter Riley

Ro-Ru

 * Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935)
 * Mary Robinson (1758–1800)
 * Theodore Roethke (1908–1963)
 * Raymond Roseliep (1917–1983)
 * Franklin Rosemont (born 1943)
 * Penelope Rosemont
 * Isaac Rosenberg (1890–1918)
 * Gabriel Rosenstock (born 1949)
 * Christina Rossetti (1830–1894)
 * Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)
 * Jerome Rothenberg (* 1931)
 * Nicholas Rowe

Sa-Si

 * Blanaid Salkeld (1880-1959)
 * Fiona Sampson (born 1963)
 * Sonia Sanchez
 * Carl Sandburg (1878–1967)
 * May Sarton (1912–1995)
 * Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967)
 * Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)
 * William Bell Scott (1811–1890)
 * Maurice Scully
 * Sir Charles Sedley (1639–1701)
 * Nina Serrano (born 1934)
 * Robert W. Service
 * Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
 * William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
 * Ntozake Shange (born 1948)
 * Jo Shapcott
 * Karl Shapiro (1913–2000)
 * Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)
 * William Shenstone
 * James Shirley (1596–1666)
 * Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
 * Eli Siegel (1902–1978)
 * Ron Silliman (born 1946)
 * Shel Silverstein (1930–1999)
 * Iain Sinclair
 * Edith Sitwell (1887–1964)

Sk-Sq

 * Beau Sia (born 1976)
 * John Skelton (1460–1529)
 * Myra Sklarew
 * Alexander Smith (poet) (1830–1867)
 * Charlotte Turner Smith (1749–1806)
 * Marc Smith
 * Rod Smith
 * Patti Smith
 * Stevie Smith (1902–1971)
 * Tracy K. Smith
 * Tobias Smollett (1721–1771)
 * Gary Snyder
 * William Somervile
 * Charles Sorley (1895–1915)
 * William Soutar (1898–1946)
 * Robert Southey (1774–1843)
 * Robert Southwell (1561–1595)
 * Wole Soyinka (born 1934)
 * Anne Spencer
 * Stephen Spender
 * Edmund Spenser (1552–1599)
 * Geoffrey Squires

St-Sy

 * Frank Stanford
 * William Stafford
 * Gertrude Stein
 * Gerald Stern
 * Ricardo Sternberg
 * Wallace Stevens (1880–1955)
 * Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
 * Mark Strand
 * Sir John Suckling (1609–1642)
 * A.M. Sullivan (1896–1980)
 * Paul Summers (poet) (born 1967)
 * Robert Sward (born 1933)
 * George Swede (born 1940)
 * May Swenson
 * Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)
 * Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909)
 * Bobbi Sykes (born 1945)
 * Joshua Sylvester (1563–1618)
 * Arthur Symons (1865–1945)
 * Dewan V. Selvam (1981-)

T

 * Barry Tebb (born 1942)
 * Eileen Tabios
 * F.W. Tancred
 * Dorothea Tanning (born 1910)
 * Allen Tate (1899–1979)
 * Edward Taylor (1645–1729)
 * Sara Teasdale (1883–1933)
 * Alfred Tennyson, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)
 * Fiona Templeton
 * Lucy Terry
 * Celia Thaxter (1824–1894)
 * Ernest Thayer (1863–1940)
 * William Thom (poet) (1799–1848)
 * Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)
 * Edward Thomas (1878–1917)
 * R.S. Thomas (1913–2000)
 * Francis Thompson (1859–1907)
 * James Thomson (B.V.) (1834–1882)
 * James Thomson (poet) (Seasons)
 * Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
 * Tim Thorne
 * Chidiock Tichborne (1558–1586)
 * Thomas Tickell
 * Mary Tighe (1772–1810)
 * Nick Toczek (born 1950)
 * J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973)
 * Melvin B. Tolson
 * Jean Toomer
 * Angela Topping (born 1954)
 * Thomas Traherne
 * Roland Michel Tremblay (born 1972)
 * Quincy Troupe
 * Gael Turnbull
 * Julian Turner (born 1955)
 * Hone Tuwhare (born 1922)
 * Chase Twichell (born 1950)

U

 * John Updike
 * Allen Upward, Imagist

V

 * Cor van den Heuvel (born 1931)
 * Henry Vaughan (1621–1695)
 * Janine Pommy Vega
 * Jones Very (1813–1880)

Wa-We

 * Diane Wakoski
 * Derek Walcott (born 1930)
 * Anne Waldman
 * Rosmarie Waldrop
 * Keith Waldrop
 * Alice Walker (born 1944)
 * Margaret Walker
 * Mark Wallace
 * Edmund Waller (1606–1687)
 * Agnes Walsh
 * Sarah Wardle (born 1969)
 * Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989)
 * Thomas Warton (1728–1790)
 * Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
 * Barrett Watten (born 1948)
 * John Webster (died 1630)
 * Hannah Weiner
 * Marjorie Welish

Wh-Wy

 * Gordon Wharton (born 1929)
 * Phillis Wheatley (1753–1784)
 * Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
 * John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
 * Les Wicks (born 1955)
 * Richard Wilbur (born 1921)
 * Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
 * John Wilkinson (born 1953)
 * William of Shoreham (14th century)
 * Emmett Williams (1925–2007)
 * Hugo Williams (born 1942)
 * Oscar Williams (1900–1964)
 * Saul Williams (born 1972)
 * Sherley Anne Williams (1944–1999)
 * William Carlos Williams (1883–1963)
 * Frank S. Williamson (1865–1936)
 * Elizabeth Willis (born 1961)
 * John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1647–1680)
 * Peter Lamborn Wilson (born 1945)
 * George Wither (1588–1667)
 * Charles Wolfe (1791–1823)
 * Dorothy Wordsworth (1771–1855)
 * William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
 * Sir Henry Wotton (1568–1639)
 * C.D. Wright (born 1949)
 * Judith Wright (1915–2000)
 * Kirby Wright
 * Robert Wrigley (born 1951)
 * Thomas Wyatt (1503–1542)

Y

 * W.B. Yeats (1865–1939)
 * Edward Young (1683–1765)

Z

 * Benjamin Zephaniah (born 1958)
 * Louis Zukofsky (1904–1978)

Lists of English language poets by nationality

 * List of Australian poets
 * List of Canadian poets
 * List of Irish poets
 * List of Indian poets writing in English
 * List of Nigerian poets
 * List of South African poets
 * List of poets from the United States