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How to Cite a Poem in MLA | Quoting & Citing Correctly

Published on August 9, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 16, 2022 by Jack Caulfield.

When you quote poetry, you have to properly format the quotation and the in-text citation, in order to direct the reader to the correct source entry in the Works Cited list.

Separate lines in a poetry quotation with a slash , and include the poet’s last name either in your text or in parentheses after the quote. To show the location of the quote, include line numbers (if specified in the text) or a page number (if the poem is published across multiple pages).

The second stanza begins with an ominous prophetic voice asking “What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow / Out of this stony rubbish?” ( Eliot , lines 19–20 ).

In the Works Cited entry, include the full publication details of the source in which you found the poem (e.g. a book or website ). You can use our free MLA citation generator to create Works Cited entries and in-text citations.

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Table of contents

How to quote poetry in mla, mla in-text citations for poems, mla works cited entry for a poem, frequently asked questions about citing poetry in mla.

When you quote a single line of a poem (or part of a line), simply put it in quotation marks as you would for any other quote . For quotations of multiple lines, there are some specific formatting requirements.

If you quote two or three lines, use a forward slash to mark the line breaks. Put a space before and after the slash. Make sure to use the same punctuation, capitalization, and styling as in the original text.

Mahon writes that “Deep in the grounds of a burnt-out hotel, / Among the bathtubs and the washbasins / A thousand mushrooms crowd to a keyhole.”

If there is a stanza break between the lines, use a double slash.

A haunting image comes next: “They lift frail heads in gravity and good faith. // They are begging us, you see, in their wordless way, / To do something, to speak on their behalf” (Mahon).

If you quote more than three lines of poetry, set them off as a block quote . Use an introductory sentence ending with a colon, then start the quotation on a new line, indented half an inch from the left margin, with no quotation marks.

When block quoting poetry, include all line breaks in the quotation and keep the formatting as close to the original as possible. If there is any unusual spacing, reproduce this in the block quote.

Mahon’s poem opens with a series of images of eerily deserted spaces:

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When quoting a poem, the poet’s last name must be clearly stated so that the reader can locate the source in the Works Cited list. If you cite more than one poem by the same author, you also need to mention the title of the poem you are quoting.

Often you will name the poet and title in the main text as you introduce the quote. If not, or if there is any ambiguity about which poem you are referring to, include the author name and/or title in a parenthetical citation after the quote.

Line numbers and page numbers in in-text citations

Sometimes poems are published with line numbers in the margin. In this case, use the line numbers in your in-text citation to more precisely locate the quote. Use the word “line” or “lines” (preceded by a comma) in the first citation, but only the numbers in subsequent citations.

If there are no line numbers displayed in the source, do not count them manually. If the poem is published over multiple pages, use the page number instead.

If there are no page or line numbers available (for example, when accessing a poem on a website), or if the poem appears on a single page of the published text, without line numbers, you only need to include the poet’s name .

If you have already mentioned the author when introducing the quotation, and there are no line or page numbers, no parenthetical citation is needed.

Consecutive citations of the same poem

If you cite the same poem repeatedly within a paragraph, you only need to mention the author’s name in the first citation . Subsequent citations can just consist of line or page numbers (or be omitted entirely if there are no numbers to give), as long as it’s clear from the context that you’re still citing the same poem.

The second stanza begins with an ominous prophetic voice asking “What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow / Out of this stony rubbish?” (Eliot, lines 19–20) . The “heap of broken images” (22) referenced in the following lines could be taken for a symbol of the fragmentary structure of the poem itself.

However, give the full citation again if you start a new paragraph or cite another source in between.

In the Works Cited entry, you start with the poet’s name, followed by the title of the poem in quotation marks. Then include details of the source where the poem was published. Usually you will follow the format of an MLA book citation or an MLA website citation .

Poem in a book

If the poem is from a collection of the poet’s work, add the name of the book in italics; the publisher; the year; and the page or page range on which the poem appears.

MLA format Author last name, First name. “Poem Title.” , Publisher, Year, Page number(s).
Rich, Adrienne. “Fox.” , W. W. Norton, 2001, p. 25.
(Rich)

Poem in an anthology

If the poem was published as part of an edited collection, follow the same format as above, but add the name(s) of the book’s editor(s).

MLA format Author last name, First name. “Poem Title.” , edited by Editor first name Last name, Publisher, Year, Page number(s).
Heaney, Seamus. “Funeral Rites.” , edited by Peter Fallon and Derek Mahon, Penguin Books, 1990, pp. 149–151.
(Heaney 150)

Poem on a website

If you accessed the poem on a website, include the name of the website and the URL. If the web page has a publication date , include this; if not, add the date on which you accessed it. If relevant, you can also add the original publication year directly after the poem’s title.

MLA format Author last name, First name. “Poem Title.” Original publication year. , Day Month Year, URL.
Mahon, Derek. “A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford.” 1975. , www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/92154/a-disused-shed-in-co-wexford. Accessed 25 June 2019.
(Mahon)

To quote poetry in MLA style , introduce the quote and use quotation marks as you would for any other source quotation .

If the quote includes line breaks, mark these using a forward slash with a space on either side. Use two slashes to indicate a stanza break.

If the quote is longer than three lines, set them off from the main text as an MLA block quote . Reproduce the line breaks, punctuation, and formatting of the original.

An MLA in-text citation should always include the author’s last name, either in the introductory text or in parentheses after a quote .

If line numbers or page numbers are included in the original source, add these to the citation.

If you are discussing multiple poems by the same author, make sure to also mention the title of the poem (shortened if necessary). The title goes in quotation marks .

Only use line numbers in an MLA in-text citation if the lines are numbered in the original source. If so, write “lines” in the first citation of the poem , and only the numbers in subsequent citations.

If there are no line numbers in the source, you can use page numbers instead. If the poem appears on only one page of a book (or on a website ), don’t include a number in the citation.

In the list of Works Cited , start with the poet’s name and the poem’s title in quotation marks. The rest of the citation depends on where the poem was published.

If you read the poem in a book or anthology, follow the format of an MLA book chapter citation . If you accessed the poem online, follow the format of an MLA website citation .

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McCombes, S. (2022, June 16). How to Cite a Poem in MLA | Quoting & Citing Correctly. Scribbr. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/poem-citation/

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a Poem in MLA

How to Cite a Poem in MLA

When writing a research essay, you may want to include poetry. It can be difficult to know how to cite a poem properly since it’s a particular type of resource that can be found online, in a book, or in an anthology.

This page contains everything you need to know to cite a poem in MLA style within your paper and on your reference page, as well as how to properly quote poems of different lengths within your paper. This page also contains information on creating your citations, formatting examples, and what details you need to compile before you can begin.

This guide follows rules established in the MLA Handbook , 9th edition, but is not officially associated with the Modern Language Association.

What You Need

Before you can create your poem citation, you will need to gather information on your source. If available, find:

  • Poet’s first and last name
  • Line, page number, or page range
  • Title of the poem
  • Year of the original and/or source publication
  • Title of the book of poetry it’s in
  • Title of the website it’s on
  • Title of the anthology it’s in
  • Name of the publishing company or website publisher
  • URL (if applicable – online sources only)
  • Editor(s) first and last name(s) (if applicable – anthologies only)

Citing a Poem Found Online 

Since poems can come from multiple sources, there are a few basic formats you can follow to create a citation. The formatting guidelines are different depending on where you found the poem. This section contains the basic format for any poetry you found online, including if it’s a PDF from another source.

Basic format:

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Year of poem’s original publication (if available). Title of the Website, Name of Website Publisher, URL. Accessed day month year.

Frost, Robert. “Birches.” 1969. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44260/birches. Accessed 1 Mar. 2020.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  • Begin the citation with the poet’s last name, with the first letter capitalized. Follow the last name with a comma and then the poet’s first name, also with a capitalized first letter. Follow the first name with a period.
  • Put the title of the poem in quotation marks. Place a period after the title of the poem within the quotation marks. The title of the poem should be capitalized in title case (using capital letters only at the beginning of principal words).
  • Put the numerical year of the poem’s original publication. You may have to do research beyond your online source for the poem to find this information. Follow the numerical year with a period.
  • Put the title of the website in italics. Be sure to use title case capitalization here again. Follow the website title with a comma.
  • Put the name of the website publisher in normal text (not italicized), using title case capitalization. Follow with a comma.
  • Put the URL for your web source, without including https:// at the beginning. Follow the URL with a period.
  • Write the word “Accessed” (with a capital A, without the quotation marks) followed by the date you looked up the web resource. The format for the date should be: the numerical day, capitalized and spelled-out month, and full numerical year. Be sure to place a period after the year to end your citation. The date should not include commas. So, for example, if the date you accessed your web source was March 12, 2020, you would finish your citation with “Accessed 12 Mar. 2020.” The access date is supplemental and may not always need to be included.

Citing a Poem from a Book

The formatting guidelines for citing a poem from a book are different from the guidelines for citing a poem found online. Note that anthologies have their own citation format. An anthology is a collection of works from different authors. This section contains the basic guidelines for citing a poem from a book. The format for anthologies is provided in the next section.

Basic Format: 

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Book, Name of Publishing Company, Year of publication, page number or page range.

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” Robert Frost Selected Poems, Fall River Press, 2011, p. 25.

  • Put the title of the book where you read the poem in italics and title case, followed by a comma.
  • Put the name of the publishing company in normal text (not italicized) as it is capitalized in the book, followed by a comma. This should be in title case since it is a proper noun. You do not need to include the location of the publisher.
  • Put the numerical year of the book’s publication (which may be different from the year of the poem’s original publication), followed by a comma.
  • Provide the page number(s) for the poem you are citing using “p.” or “pp.” and the page number or page range. For example, if the poem is on page 26, put p. 26. If the poem spreads across two or more pages, use “pp.” For example, if the poem is from page 26-29, put pp. 26-29. Follow the page number with a period to end your citation.

Citing a Poem from an Anthology

The guidelines for citing a poem from an anthology are different from the guidelines for citing a poem found online or even in a poetry book. An anthology is a compilation of different works from different authors or artists. The following format is for poems from an anthology.

Basic Format for a poem in an anthology: 

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of Anthology, edited by Editor’s First and Last Name, edition (if applicable), volume (if applicable), Publisher, year of anthology publication, page number or page range.

Drummond, William. “Life.” The Giant Book of Poetry , edited by William Roetzheim, Level4Press Inc, 2006, p. 55.

  • Put the title of the anthology where you found the poem in italics and title case, followed by a comma.
  • For two editors, separate the names with the word “and” rather than an ampersand.
  • For three or more editors, use commas to separate each editor’s name, using “and” only between the last two editors.
  • If applicable to the anthology, include the book’s edition (e.g., 4th ed.) followed by a comma.
  • If applicable to the anthology, include the book’s volume number (e.g., vol. 2) followed by a comma.
  • Put the name of the publishing company in normal text (not italicized) as it is capitalized in the anthology, followed by a comma. You do not need to include the location of the publisher.

In-Text Citations

Unlike the reference page citations, MLA in-text citations for poems are generally the same regardless of the source. The examples below follow Sections 6.22 and 6.36 from the Handbook.

For in an-text citation, all you need to provide is:

  • The poet’s last name
  • The line number(s) or page number of the poem you are referencing

(Poet’s Last Name, line(s) #-#)

(Chaucer, lines 6-10)

If you state the author’s name within the sentence, you may just include the line numbers in parentheses instead of repeating the author’s name in the in-text citation. If no line numbers for the poem exist, do not count the lines yourself. Instead, include a page number.

As stated by Chaucer, “Thoght ye to me ne do no daliance” (line 8).

Quoting Up to Three Lines of Poetry

Using a direct quote from a poem is different from making a reference to a poem within your paper. To use a direct quote, you must put it in quotation marks.

To quote anything from a partial line of poetry up to three lines of poetry, you can simply use quotations and a “/” symbol to separate the lines, with a space on either side of the slash. Following the in-text citation guidelines in the section above, place your in-text citation at the end of your quote in parentheses, after the closing quotation marks and before the period.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – / I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference” (Frost, lines 18-20).

In Robert Frost’s poem, he states, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – / I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference” (lines 18-20).

Quoting Four or More Lines of Poetry

If you’d like to directly quote four or more lines of poetry within your paper, you will need to follow different guidelines than the ones above for three or fewer lines of poetry. When quoting four or more lines of poetry, you will not use quotation marks. Here are more formatting guidelines:

  • In most cases, you will use a colon (:) at the end of the sentence before you begin your direct quote from the poem.
  • After the sentence introducing the quote, leave an empty line before beginning the quote.
  • You must separate a long quote from the rest of your paper by using a half-inch indent from the left throughout the quote.
  • Instead of using a “ / ” to separate the lines of poetry, try to follow the original format of the poem as closely as possible.
  • If a line is too long to fit across the page, use a hanging indent, so that the remainder of the line is more indented than the rest of the block quote.
  • Place your in-text citation in parentheses at the end of the quote, following the last period (or other punctuation) of the quote and without punctuation after the closing parentheses. If the citation will not fit on the line, add it to the following line on the right-hand side of the page.

The poem describes choices in life by using the metaphor of a fork in the road:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth; (Frost, lines 1-5)

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Published October 21, 2013. Updated May 18, 2021.

Written by Grace Turney. Grace is a former librarian and has a Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Technology. She is a freelance author and artist.

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In-text citation for a poem can be in the following format:

  • If you are quoting two or three lines of a poem, the quote should be placed within double quotation marks with a slash as a line separator, with one space on either side. (Stanzas should be separated with a double slash.) The quote should be followed by the author’s last name and the line numbers within parentheses.
  • If the author’s name is already mentioned in text, only the line number should be inserted within parentheses next to the quotation.
  • If there is no line number available for the poem, page numbers can be used.

William Wordsworth wrote, “The storm came on before its time: / She wandered up and down” (lines 11-12).

  • If you are quoting four or more lines of a poem, your quote should be an indented block quote rather than enclosed within quotation marks.
  • A colon should be placed at the end of the introductory text with a blank line following it.
  • The full block quote should be indented a half inch throughout and match its original formatting as closely as possible.
  • The author’s last name and line numbers should be placed at the end of the quotation within parentheses. The end period should be placed before the source.

The author was inspired by the lines of a poem: Not blither is the mountain roe: With many a wanton stroke Her feet disperse the powdery snow, That rises up like smoke. (Wordsworth, lines 13–16)

To cite a poem or short story, include the following details: the author’s name, year published, title of the poem/story, title of the book where you located or read the poem (if applicable), book editor’s first and last name (if applicable), publisher name, and page numbers.

Author Surname, X. Y. (Year). Title of story or poem. In A. A. Editor (Ed.), (edition, page range). Publisher.
Gupta, S. (2019). The foolish thief. In P. Manoj (Ed.), (pp. 153-155). Wonder House Books.
(Author Surname, Year)

(Gupta, 2019)

Author Surname (Year)

Gupta (2019)

Author Surname, First Name. “Story or Poem Title.” , edited by Editor First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, pp. XX-XX.
Gupta, Singh. “The Foolish Thief.” , edited by Pankaj Manoj, Wonder House Books, 2019, pp. 153-155.
(Author Surname page number)

(Gupta 153)

Author Surname (page number)

Gupta (153)

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Quoting and Citing a Poem in MLA: Tips, Steps, and Insights

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You are in the right place if you have been struggling online trying to discover how to quote and cite a poem in an MLA essay. You might have heard your professor say that quoting a poem in MLA means introducing the quote and using quotation marks, as you would for any other source. But how do you do that correctly when the quote includes line breaks? Let us look at this comprehensive guide to citing a poem in an MLA paper.

 In this post, you will discover all the information you need to know to quote and cite poems correctly as per the MLA stylebook.

When to Quote a Poem

Before you learn how to quote and cite a poem, it is vital to learn when it is necessary to do so. You should only quote a poem in your essay:

1. When Absolutely Necessary

You should only quote a poem in your essay when it is necessary. Quoting lines upon lines of a poem in your essay to boost the word count will not do you much good.

Most professors will be annoyed when they notice you have done this in your essay. And this usually leads only to an average or lower grade. Therefore, quote a poem only when absolutely necessary.

You will know it is necessary to quote a poem when quoting a poem adds value to your paper. If you genuinely believe quoting a poem enhances your paper in one way or another, you should do it.

2. When You Want To Support Your Arguments

It would help if you quoted a poem to support your arguments. There are situations where you cannot write your essay correctly without quoting a poem.

For example, when you analyze a poem in your essay, you must quote it several times. This will help show the reader what you are talking about. In other words, it will help you to support your arguments.

Related Reading:

  • How to use block quotes in MLA.
  • How to title a movie in an essay.
  • Indenting paragraphs in an academic essay.

Now that you know when to quote a poem in an essay, it is time to discover how exactly to do so. The information we share below will show you how to quote a poem in MLA.

Essential Tips to Quote a Poem in MLA

There are different rules for quoting just a single line of poetry, two or three lines, and for quoting four or more lines.

1. How to Quote a Single Line of Poetry in Your MLA Essay

Quoting a single line of poetry in an MLA essay is easy. You need to put it in double quotes. This is how you would quote a single line of anything else in your MLA essay. So nothing is challenging about it.

Putting a single line of poetry in your MLA essay without enclosing it with double quotation marks will make it difficult for your professor to know you are quoting something.

And do not for a moment think that italicizing a line of poetry can work in lieu of the double quotation marks. It cannot work since it is not how the MLA stylebook requires you to quote a single line of poetry.

Examples of how to quote a single line of poetry:

  • "While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping" Edgar Allan Poe
  • "The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed" Percy Shelley
  • "Life is but an empty dream!" Henry Longfellow

2. How to Quote Two or Three Lines of Poetry

Quoting two or three lines of poetry is a bit more complex than quoting just one. This is because two or three lines of poetry will need something to tell the reader they are moving to the next line.

So how do you do it? Write two or three lines of poetry and enclose them with double quotation marks. Then use the forward slash symbol "/" to show the transition from one line to the next. The symbol should be preceded and followed by space.

If the lines you are quoting are from two different stanzas, use the double forward slash symbol "//" to show the transition from one stanza to the next.

One important thing to remember when quoting a chunk of poetry in your essay is that you should always retain the same styling, capitalization, and punctuation as in the original poem. Do not adjust or rewrite anything to make it sound better or more correct.

Examples of how to quote two to three lines of poetry:

  • "Life is real! Life is earnest! / And the grave is not its goal;" Henry Longfellow
  • "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Percy Shelley
  • "Does it dry up / Like a raising in the sun?" Langston Hughes

3. How to Quote Four or More Lines of Poetry

How you quote four or more lines of poetry differs from how you quote three or fewer lines of poetry. It is different because when you quote four or more lines of poetry, you must quote them as a block.

Here is how exactly to quote four or more lines of poetry. First, introduce the quote or provide the reader with some context on the quote you will unleash to them. Second, put a colon at the end of the sentence to show a quote is coming.

Third, create a line break (a new line) and press the "Tab" this will indent your quote (0.5-inch from the left margin) and distinguish it from the rest of your writing. Lastly, quote the poem you wanted to quote without adding any quotation marks.

Example 1 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry:

Langston Hughes' poem opens with a couple of rhetorical questions:

            What happens to a dream deferred?

            Does it dry up

            Like a raisin in the sun?

            Or fester like a sore-

            And then run?

Example 2 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry

Maya Angelou's inspiring poem offers words of encouragement to the downtrodden:

            You may shoot me with your words,

            You may cut me with your eyes,

            You may kill me with your hatefulness,

            But still, like air, I'll rise.

Example 3 of how to quote four or more lines of poetry

The poet John Donne, in his thought-inspiring poem, reveals the deep connection we have to humanity:

            Any man's death diminishes me,

            Because I am involved in mankind,

            And therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

            It tolls for thee.

You now know how exactly to quote a poem in an MLA essay. It is now to discover how to cite a poem in MLA. Citing is not the same thing as quoting. It is more complex. Check the section below to understand.

How to cite a poem in an MLA Paper or Essay

When you name, discuss, mention, or refer to a poem, it is best to cite it so that your reader can read more about it if they want to. Failure to properly cite a poem or any other work you use or discuss in your essay is wrong and is considered academic dishonesty. It will make your essay look like it is missing something and reduce your chances of getting an excellent grade (professors do not like poorly cited essays).

When citing a poem in your essay, you must cite it in-text and on the reference page.

Citing a poem in-text has a few rules that you need to follow. The most important rule is clearly stating the author's last name. The purpose of doing this is to enable the reader to quickly locate the author of the work and the associated source on your references page.

Follow the rules below to cite any poem in-text in your MLA essay properly.

A. How to cite a poem with no line numbers or page numbers

You can find a poem on a website or a published text without any lines or page numbers. The correct way to cite it is only by the author's last name. Do not count the lines or the pages manually for your in-text citation.

Example of how to cite a poem with no line numbers or page numbers

"Every man is a piece of the continent, / A part of the main." (Donne)

B. How to cite a poem with line numbers

Sometimes poems are published with line numbers on the side. This is often true in official poem collections. When you quote or talk about a poem with line numbers in your essay, your in-text citation must show the exact lines you have quoted or are talking about.

Your citation should begin with the author's last name followed by a comma and the exact lines you have quoted or are discussing. Once you cite a poem with line numbers in this manner, put line numbers only in parentheses in subsequent references to the same poem.

Example of how to cite a poem with line numbers

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, / And sorry I could travel both" (Frost, lines 1-2).

C. How to cite a poem with page numbers

A poem can be published over several pages. If a poem is published over several pages but without line numbers, you should provide an in-text citation referencing the exact page number you have quoted or are talking about.

Your citation should begin with the author's last name and the page number. Unlike in the case of line numbers, you are not supposed to put a comma between the poet's last name and the page number.

Example of how to cite a poem with page numbers

"For they sweet love remembered such wealth brings, / That, then I scorn to change my state with kings." (Shakespeare 38).

D. How to cite a poem multiple times

When you cite a poem severally in the same paragraph, you don't need to repeat the entire in-text citation over and over again. You need to put only the line number or page number you are referring to in parentheses.

Example of how to cite a poem consecutively in the same paragraph

"And be one traveler, long I stood / And looked down one as far as I could"

Citing a poem on the reference page MLA

Every poem you cite in-text should have the full citation on your references page. How you reference a poem on the references page depends on the source.

Poems can be found in many places (e.g., online, in a book, or in an anthology). The way you cite a poem you've found online is not the same you cite a poem you've found in a book.

A. How to cite a poem found online

When you find a poem online or on a website, there is a way you need to cite it. You must begin with the author's last name and then their first name. You need to follow the poet's name with the poem's name in parentheses. Check out the format below.

Online citation format:

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title." Year of publication. Title of the website, Website Publisher, Link. Accessed day month year.

Online citation example:

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 29." 1609. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45090/sonnet-29-when-in-disgrace-with-fortune-and-mens-eyes. Accessed 19 Feb. 2023.

B. How to cite a poem from a book

When you find a poem in a book, there are rules you need to follow in citing it. The first two elements of the citation (the name and the title of the poem, will be formatted the same way as when citing a poem from an online source. The other elements are different, so the formatting is a bit different. Check out the format below.

Book citation format

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title." Book Title, Publisher. Year of publication, Page number/range.

Book citation example

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 29." William Shakespeare Poem Collection, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 32.

C. How to cite a poem from an anthology

An anthology is a collection of poems from different authors. How you cite a poem from an anthology is not the same way you cite a poem from a book with poems from solely one author. Use the format below to cite a poem from an anthology.

Anthology citation format

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Work."  Anthology Collection,  edited by (first name and last name), edition (if applicable), volume (if applicable), Publisher, year of anthology publication, page number or page range.

Anthology citation example:

Hughes, William. "Dark Oceans."  Collection of Modern South African Poems , edited by John Moore, Cape Town University Press, 2009, p. 77.

As we wind up this Super Guide...

If you made it this far, you are now conversant with how to quote poems in an MLA paper. You can now comfortably cite poems from different sources. We hope that the information we have shared with you should make it easy for you to quote and cite poems easily in your MLA essays.

  • How to write a poem analysis essay.
  • How to write an expository essay.
  • How to write a rhetorical analysis essay.

If you ever find it difficult to cite a poem or any other source or evidence in your essay, you should place an order. We are an online assignment-help website with handpicked professional writers capable of correctly citing poems in MLA and all other types of essays. We are your go-to website if you have a poem analysis essay and need some help writing it. All you need to do to get a citation or referencing assistance from us is to visit our home page.

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How to Cite a Poem Using APA Style

Last Updated: December 18, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 165,979 times.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is very popular, especially in the social sciences. If you need to write a paper in APA style, there are a lot of different formatting rules to consider. Citing sources, such as poems, can be one of the most confusing things, but if you follow a few simple rules, you'll have perfectly formatted citations.

Quoting a Poem in Your Essay

Step 1 Use quotation marks with short quotes.

  • For example, introduce a short quote like this. Frost writes, "Some say the world will end in fire."

Step 2 Indicate line breaks.

  • For example, cite two line of a poem like this: "Some say the world will end end fire, / Some say in ice."

Step 3 Use block quotations for longer quotes.

  • You should not use quotation marks with block quotes. It is not necessary because the indentation signifies that it is a quote.
  • Be sure to maintain the same double spacing that you have in the rest of your paper.

Using Proper In-Text Citations

Step 1 Include the author's name, the year, and the page number.

  • If you mention the author's name in the sentence that introduces the quote, include the year in parentheses after the author's name, and the page number in parentheses after the end of quote. For example: In his poem "Fire and Ice," Robert Frost (1923) says, "Some say the world will end in fire." (p. 1)
  • If you don't include the author's name in the sentence that introduces the quote, provide all three pieces of information, separated by commas, in parentheses after the end of the quote. For example: "Some say the world will end in fire." (Frost, 1923, p. 1)
  • Parenthetical citations should always come after the punctuation of the preceding sentence.

Step 2 Don't forget to cite indirect references.

  • If you are not referring to one specific page of the poem, you may omit the page number from your parenthetical citation, although you are encouraged to provide a page number whenever possible.

Step 3 Properly format titles.

  • Capitalize all major words in the title of any work.
  • Put quotation marks around the titles of shorter works (such as most poems).
  • Italicize or underline the title of longer works (such as anthologies).

Citing a Poem in Your Works Cited

Step 1 Cite an entire book.

  • Author's last name, Author's first name (Year of publication). Title of work: Subtitle. Location: Publisher.

Step 2 Cite a poem in an anthology.

  • Author's last name, Author's first name (Year of publication). Title of poem. In Editor's first and last name (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page #). Location: Publisher.

Step 3 Tailor the guidelines for your book.

  • In general, if your source does not provide a specific piece of information, it is okay to omit it from the citation.
  • Note that when citing multiple pages you should notate it with "pp." instead of "p."

Step 4 Include extra information for electronic sources.

  • For a website, include the words "Retrieved from" followed by the full web address at the end of your citation.
  • For an e-book, include the e-book format in square brackets directly after the title of the book (for example, [Kindle DX version]). Then include the words "Available from" followed by the website from which you retrieved the e-book at the end of your citation.

Step 5 Format your works cited.

  • Capitalize only the first word of the title of a book, not every word.
  • Do not surround the title of a poem with quotation marks.
  • Use the title References at the top of your page.
  • Alphabetize your entries by the author's last name. If you have more than one source by the same author, use the date of publication to list them chronologically.
  • The first line of each citation should not be indented, but all additional lines should be indented 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) (two spaces) from the left margin.
  • Maintain the same double spacing you have throughout the rest of your paper.
  • If you are providing annotations (descriptions of your sources), provide them directly beneath your citation, indented two spaces further than the second line of your citation.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • If you plan on writing a lot of papers using APA format, it's a good idea to buy a print copy of the manual or pay for online access. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • APA is not the only style guide out there, so double check that your teacher wants you to use APA. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how to cite a poem in your essay

  • Be sure to cite all of the sources that you quote, paraphrase, or even refer to when writing a paper so that you avoid all appearances of plagiarism. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Don’t forget that you will also have to compose your entire essay or paper according to the APA style. This includes using the APA rules regarding line and paragraph spacing, typeface, margins, etc. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Cite an Interview in APA

  • ↑ https://libguides.swansea.ac.uk/APA7Referencing/Poetry
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/quotation_marks/quotation_marks_with_fiction.html
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
  • ↑ https://penandthepad.com/cite-poem-apa-format-5072453.html
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html

About This Article

Michelle Golden, PhD

If you want to cite a poem using the APA style, include your quote from a poem in quotation marks if it's less than 40 words, and use forward slashes to indicate line breaks. To cite a longer passage, begin the quote on a new line and indent it to create a block quotation. For your in-text citation, include the author's name, year of publication, and page number, preceded by the letter "p." When it comes to the title, capitalize all major words, place short titles in quotes, and italicize longer titles. To learn how to include your citation in the works cited section of your essay, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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how to cite a poem in your essay

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MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Citing Poetry

  • Works Cited entries: What to Include
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MLA Poetry Citations

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how to cite a poem in your essay

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  • Citing a Poem

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Like other sources, poem citations begin with the poet's last name. However, there are some different MLA rules when it comes to citing lines of poetry.

  • Works Cited
  • In-Text Citation Rules
  • In-text, Quoting 1 Line
  • In-text, Quoting 2-3 Lines
  • In-text, Quoting 4+ Lines

Citing a Poem: Works Cited

Poem in a book.

Format:  Author(s). "Title of Part."  Title of Book in Italics , edited by Editor, edition, vol. #, Publisher, Year,  page number(s).  Database Name  in Italics  (if electronic),  URL.

Example:  Lazarus, Emma. "The New Colossus."  The Norton Introduction to Literature,  edited by Kelly J. Mays, shorter 14th ed., W.W. Norton, 2022, p. 752. 

Poem from a Website

Format:  Author(s). “Poem Title.” Original publication year.  Title of Website in Italics , Website Publisher (if different than title), Date of publication, URL. Access Date.

Example:  Angelou, Maya. "Still I Rise." 1978.  Poetry Foundation , www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise. Accessed 21 Sep. 2022.

  • Use "line" or "lines" in your in-text if the source lists line numbers rather than page numbers.
  • For the first citation include the word  "line" or "lines" before the numbers
  • After the first in-text citation establishing that you will be using lines for that partacular source, you no longer need to use the word line or lines.
  • (Frost, lines 145-48)
  • (Frost 145-48).
  • Note: If you are citing only one source for your entire paper/project, then you do not need to repeat the author's last name/title in the in-text citations as long as it's clear that you're referencing the outside source. This means your first in-text citation could look like (Frost, lines 145-48), but later in that paragraph if your next citation could just be the line number, like this (152). 

Quoting a single line of poetry

In-Text Format:  (Poet Last Name, line number)

Example:  "So better by far for me if you were stone" (Duffy, line 17).

Note:  Only include the line numbers if they are already included in the poem you are citing. You do not need to count line numbers if they are not already included. If you find the poem in a book, you can use the page number(s) for the poem. If you found the poem online and there are no page numbers or line numbers, you only need to include the poet's last name.

Quoting 2-3 lines of poetry

When quoting 2-3 lines of poetry, use a forward slash ( / ) to mark the line breaks. If there is a stanza break between the lines you are quoting, use a double slash ( // ). Be sure to put a space before and after the slash. 

Use the exact punctuation, capitalization, and styling as used in the original text.

Format:  (Poet Last Name, line number(s))

Example:  "Wasn't I beautiful? / Wasn't I fragrant and young? // Look at me now" (Duffy, lines 40-42).

Quoting 4+ lines of poetry

When quoting 4 or more lines of poetry, use a block quote. Be sure to keep the spacing, punctuation, and capitalization the same as it is in the poem.

Example:  In the poem "Medusa," Medusa discusses why she wants to turn the man she loves into stone: Be terrified. It's you I love, perfect man, Greek God, my own; but I know you'll go, betray me, stray from home. So better by far for me if you were stone. (Duffy, lines 12-17)

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  • Online MLA Handbook This link opens in a new window
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IMAGES

  1. How to Cite a Poem Using The MLA Academic Style

    how to cite a poem in your essay

  2. How To Cite Poetry Lines

    how to cite a poem in your essay

  3. Tips on Citing a Poem in MLA Style

    how to cite a poem in your essay

  4. Cómo Citar un Poema Usando el Estilo de la APA

    how to cite a poem in your essay

  5. 4 Ways to Cite a Poem

    how to cite a poem in your essay

  6. Tips on Citing a Poem in MLA Style

    how to cite a poem in your essay

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  4. How do you cite a poem from a book in APA?

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  6. How To Cite A Website In APA Format

COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite a Poem in MLA | Quoting & Citing Correctly - Scribbr

    When you quote poetry, you have to properly format the quotation and the in-text citation, in order to direct the reader to the correct source entry in the Works Cited list. Separate lines in a poetry quotation with a slash, and include the poet’s last name either in your text or in parentheses after the quote.

  2. How to Quote and Cite a Poem in an Essay Using MLA Format

    If you use a quote from a poem in an MLA-format essay, place the line numbers of the poem in parentheses right after the closing quotation marks, with the closing punctuation right behind the parentheses.

  3. How to Cite a Poem in MLA - EasyBib

    To cite a poem or short story, include the following details: the author’s name, year published, title of the poem/story, title of the book where you located or read the poem (if applicable), book editor’s first and last name (if applicable), publisher name, and page numbers.

  4. Style and Formatting Guide for Citing a Work of Poetry

    Use double quotation marks around your quotation. Capitalize whatever is capitalized in the original poem. Include the author’s name, the title(s) of the poem(s), and the line number(s) in the text (for better source integration) or within a parenthetical citation.

  5. How to Quote and Cite a Poem in an MLA Essay (A Guide)

    When citing a poem in your essay, you must cite it in-text and on the reference page. Citing a poem in-text has a few rules that you need to follow. The most important rule is clearly stating the author's last name.

  6. How to Cite a Poem Using APA Style: References & More - wikiHow

    If you want to cite a poem using the APA style, include your quote from a poem in quotation marks if it's less than 40 words, and use forward slashes to indicate line breaks. To cite a longer passage, begin the quote on a new line and indent it to create a block quotation.

  7. MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Citing Poetry

    MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Citing Poetry. This LibGuide reflects the changes to MLA style as directed by the MLA Handbook, Eighth & Ninth Editions. About MLA. Works Cited entries: What to Include. Works Cited Core Elements. Works Cited Examples. In-text Citations. Formatting Your MLA Paper. Formatting Your Works Cited List.

  8. How to Cite a Poem in MLA and APA Styles | EssayPro

    Citing a poem properly involves including the poet's name, the poem's title (in quotation marks), the publication date, and the source where you found the poem. Additionally, you may need to include line or page numbers if you're quoting directly from the poem.

  9. Tips on Citing a Poem in MLA Style - Bibliography.com

    To cite a poem in an essay, you include quotation marks around a short quote or three lines or less. You separate the lines using a forward slash (/) between the stanzas. For a block quote, or 4 lines or more, separate the quote from the rest of the text with a 5-inch margin.

  10. Citing a Poem - MLA Guide - SCC Research Guides at ...

    Citing a Poem. Like other sources, poem citations begin with the poet's last name. However, there are some different MLA rules when it comes to citing lines of poetry. Works Cited. In-Text Citation Rules. In-text, Quoting 1 Line. In-text, Quoting 2-3 Lines. In-text, Quoting 4+ Lines. Citing a Poem: Works Cited. Poem in a Book. Format: Author (s).