Citing a Poem

Citing a Poem: A Comprehensive Guide for Academic Success

Citing a poem correctly is crucial for academic integrity and to give proper credit to the original author. Whether you're analyzing a sonnet for an English class or incorporating poetic lines into a research paper, understanding citation styles is paramount. This guide will walk you through the most common styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago.

Why Accurate Citation Matters

• Academic Integrity: Avoids plagiarism and demonstrates respect for intellectual property.
• Credibility: Shows you've engaged with scholarly sources and can support your arguments.
• Reader Navigation: Allows your readers to easily locate the original source for further study.
• Context: Provides essential information about the poem's publication, aiding understanding.

MLA Style (Modern Language Association)

MLA is widely used in the humanities, particularly in English and literature studies.

Citing a Poem from a Book or Anthology

When citing a poem from a printed book or anthology, you'll typically need the following information:

• Poet's full name
• Title of the poem (in quotation marks)
• Title of the book/anthology (in italics)
• Editor(s) of the book/anthology (if applicable)
• Publication information (publisher, year of publication)
• Page number(s) where the poem appears

In-Text Citation:

MLA uses parenthetical citations with the author's last name and page number. If the author's name is mentioned in the sentence, only the page number is needed.

• Example:

> "Hope is the thing with feathers" (Dickinson 140). > Dickinson writes, "Hope is the thing with feathers" (140).

Works Cited Entry:

The Works Cited page lists all sources alphabetically by the author's last name.

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Book, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, pp. Page Numbers.

• Example:

Dickinson, Emily. " 'Hope' is the thing with feathers." The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, Little, Brown and Company, 1960, pp. 140-141.

Citing a Poem from a Website

If you're citing a poem found online, the process is similar, but you'll include URL and access date.

In-Text Citation:

If the website doesn't provide page numbers, use the author's last name. If no author is listed, use a shortened version of the poem's title.

• Example:

> The speaker in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" grapples with indecision (Eliot). > The poem describes a world of "measured out my life with coffee spoons" ("The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock").

Works Cited Entry:

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Website, Publisher (if different from website name), Date of Publication, URL. Accessed Date.

• Example:

Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.

Citing Specific Lines (Quoting Poetry)

When quoting poetry, pay close attention to line breaks and stanza divisions.

• Short Quotations (up to three lines): Enclose the lines in quotation marks and incorporate them into your text, using a slash ( / ) to indicate line breaks.

* Example: > In "The Raven," Poe describes the narrator's despair, stating, "Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore.' "

• Longer Quotations (four or more lines): Use a block quote. Indent the entire quote one inch from the left margin, double-space it, and do not use quotation marks. The line breaks and stanza divisions should be preserved as they appear in the original poem. The parenthetical citation comes after the final punctuation.

* Example: > The speaker's encounter with the raven leads to a profound sense of loss: > > And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting > On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; > And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, > And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; > And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor > Shall be lifted—nevermore! (Poe 107-108)

APA Style (American Psychological Association)

APA is commonly used in the social sciences, education, and psychology. Citing poetry in APA is less frequent than in MLA, but when it occurs, the focus is on author, date, and page number.

Citing a Poem from a Book or Anthology

In-Text Citation:

APA uses author-date citations.

• Example:

> The concept of hope is explored metaphorically (Dickinson, 1896/1960). > Dickinson (1896/1960) uses the metaphor of a bird to represent hope.

Note: If citing a collected work, include the original publication date and the date of the edition you are using.

Reference List Entry:

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of poem. In Title of Book (pp. Page Numbers). Publisher.

• Example:

Dickinson, E. (1960). 'Hope' is the thing with feathers. In The complete poems of Emily Dickinson (pp. 140-141). Little, Brown and Company. (Original work published 1896)

Citing a Poem from a Website

In-Text Citation:

• Example:

> The speaker expresses a sense of weary resignation (Eliot, n.d.).

Reference List Entry:

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day of Publication if available). Title of poem. Title of Website. URL

• Example:

Frost, R. (n.d.). The road not taken. Poetry Foundation. Retrieved October 26, 2023, from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken

Citing Specific Lines (Quoting Poetry)

APA handles poetry quotations similarly to prose, but line breaks should be preserved if possible.

• Short Quotations: Integrate into your text with quotation marks.

* Example: > The poem includes the line "Hope is the thing with feathers" (Dickinson, 1960, p. 140).

• Longer Quotations: Use a block quote, indented, double-spaced, and without quotation marks. Preserve line breaks.

* Example: > The final stanza offers a stark image: > > And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor > Shall be lifted—nevermore! (Poe, 1845/1999, p. 108)

Chicago Style (The Chicago Manual of Style)

Chicago style offers two systems: Notes and Bibliography (NB) and Author-Date. The NB system is more common in literature and the humanities.

Citing a Poem using Notes and Bibliography

Footnotes/Endnotes:

Chicago uses numbered notes for citations.

• Format:

1. Poet's First Name Last Name, "Title of Poem," in Title of Book, ed. Editor's First Name Last Name (Publisher, Year), Page Number.

• Example:

1. Emily Dickinson, " 'Hope' is the thing with feathers," in The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, ed. Thomas H. Johnson (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1960), 140.

Bibliography Entry:

The bibliography lists sources alphabetically.

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." In Title of Book, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Page Numbers. Publisher, Year.

• Example:

Dickinson, Emily. " 'Hope' is the thing with feathers." In The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, 140-141. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1960.

Citing a Poem from a Website (Chicago NB)

Footnotes/Endnotes:

• Format:

1. Poet's First Name Last Name, "Title of Poem," Title of Website, Date of Publication (if available), URL (accessed Date).

• Example:

1. Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken," Poetry Foundation, accessed October 26, 2023, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken.

Bibliography Entry:

• Format:

Poet's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Website. Date of Publication (if available). Accessed Date. URL.

• Example:

Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Poetry Foundation. Accessed October 26, 2023. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken.

Citing Specific Lines (Quoting Poetry in Chicago)

• Short Quotations: Integrate into your text with quotation marks.

* Example: > The poem famously states, "Hope is the thing with feathers" (Dickinson 1960, 140).

• Longer Quotations: Use a block quote, indented, double-spaced, and without quotation marks. Preserve line breaks. The note number follows the final punctuation.

* Example: > The narrator's descent into despair is palpable: > > And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor > Shall be lifted—nevermore! (Poe 1845, 108)

Tips for Citing Poetry

• Consult Your Instructor: Always check your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor if they have specific citation preferences.
• Consistency is Key: Whichever style you use, be consistent with its application throughout your paper.
• Use Citation Tools Wisely: While tools can help, always double-check their output for accuracy.
• When in Doubt, Over-Cite: It's better to provide too much citation information than too little.
• Consider the Source: The way you cite a poem might vary slightly depending on whether it's from a primary source (the original collection) or a secondary source (an anthology, a critical essay, or a website).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Citing Poetry

Q: What is the most common style for citing poetry? A: The MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used for citing poetry in academic settings, especially within English and literature studies.

Q: How do I cite a poem with no author listed? A: If no author is listed, use a shortened version of the poem's title in your in-text citation and a shortened title in your Works Cited or reference list entry.

Q: Should I use page numbers or line numbers when citing poetry? A: MLA style typically uses page numbers. However, for citing specific lines within a poem, especially in longer quotations, preserving the original line breaks is crucial, and line numbers might be referenced in your notes or parenthetical citations.

Q: What if I'm quoting a poem from memory? A: You should never cite a poem from memory. Always refer to the original published source or a reliable edition to ensure accuracy in your quotations and citations.