Mla Referencing Poetry

Mastering the art of academic writing often involves understanding various citation styles, and one of the most commonly used styles is MLA (Modern Language Association). When it comes to citing poetry, MLA referencing poetry can be particularly nuanced due to the unique structure and formatting of poetic works. This guide will walk you through the essentials of MLA referencing poetry, ensuring that your citations are accurate and your academic integrity is maintained.

Table of Contents

Understanding MLA Referencing

MLA referencing is a system used primarily in the humanities, particularly in literature, language, and cultural studies. It provides a consistent method for documenting sources, which helps readers locate the sources you have used in your research. The MLA Handbook, now in its ninth edition, outlines the guidelines for citing various types of sources, including poetry.

Basic Principles of MLA Referencing Poetry

When citing poetry in MLA format, there are several key elements to consider:

The author’s name
The title of the poem
The title of the book or collection
The editor (if applicable)
The publisher
The publication date
The page number(s)

These elements are arranged in a specific order to create a clear and concise citation. Let’s delve into the specifics of citing different types of poetic works.

Citing a Single Poem from an Anthology

When you cite a single poem from an anthology or a collection of poems, you need to include the following information:

The author’s name
The title of the poem
The title of the anthology
The editor of the anthology (if applicable)
The publisher
The publication date
The page number(s)

Here is an example of how to format this citation:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Anthology, edited by Editor’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Dickinson, Emily. “Hope is the thing with feathers.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature, edited by Nina Baym, 9th ed., W. W. Norton, 2017, pp. 1234-1235.

Citing a Poem from a Website

Citing a poem from a website involves including additional information such as the URL and the date of access. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Website, Publisher, Publication Date, URL. Accessed Date.

For example:

Whitman, Walt. “Song of Myself.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, 2020, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45478/song-of-myself. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

Citing a Poem from a Database

When citing a poem from a database, you need to include the database name and the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier). Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Database, Publisher, Publication Date, URL or DOI.

For example:

Yeats, W. B. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree.” JSTOR, JSTOR, 1919, https://www.jstor.org/stable/27930498.

Citing a Poem from a Print Collection

If you are citing a poem from a print collection, the format is similar to citing a poem from an anthology. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Poetry of Robert Frost, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969, pp. 123-124.

Citing a Poem with Multiple Authors

When a poem has multiple authors, you need to list all the authors in the citation. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Shelley, Percy Bysshe, and Mary Shelley. “The Masque of Anarchy.” The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oxford UP, 1977, pp. 456-457.

Citing a Poem with an Unknown Author

If the author of the poem is unknown, you start the citation with the title of the poem. Here is the format:

“Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, edited by Editor’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, 9th ed., W. W. Norton, 2012, pp. 1023-1024.

In-Text Citations for Poetry

In-text citations for poetry follow a similar format to other types of sources. You include the author’s last name and the line number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. Here are some examples:

For a direct quotation: (Author’s Last Name Line Number)
For a paraphrase: (Author’s Last Name)

For example:

In “The Road Not Taken,” Frost writes, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (Frost 1).

Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” explores the theme of choice and its consequences (Frost).

Common Mistakes to Avoid in MLA Referencing Poetry

When citing poetry in MLA format, it’s important to avoid common mistakes that can affect the accuracy of your citations. Here are some pitfalls to watch out for:

Incorrect capitalization of titles
Missing or incorrect page numbers
Incorrect formatting of URLs or DOIs
Inconsistent use of punctuation

By paying attention to these details, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and meet the standards of academic writing.

📝 Note: Always double-check the MLA Handbook for the most up-to-date guidelines and examples.

Special Considerations for MLA Referencing Poetry

There are a few special considerations to keep in mind when citing poetry in MLA format. These include:

Citing multiple poems by the same author
Citing poems with unusual titles or formatting
Citing poems from different editions or translations

Let’s explore these considerations in more detail.

Citing Multiple Poems by the Same Author

If you are citing multiple poems by the same author, you can use a single entry in your Works Cited list for the collection, followed by in-text citations that specify the title of each poem. Here is an example:

Last Name, First Name. Title of the Collection. Publisher, Publication Date.

For example:

Keats, John. Selected Poems. Oxford UP, 1990.

In your in-text citations, you would specify the title of each poem:

In “Ode to a Nightingale,” Keats explores the theme of mortality (Keats).

In “Endymion,” Keats delves into the mythological narrative (Keats).

Citing Poems with Unusual Titles or Formatting

Poems with unusual titles or formatting can present challenges when citing. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Use italics for the titles of longer poems or collections
Use quotation marks for the titles of shorter poems
Retain the original formatting and capitalization of titles

For example:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Pound, Ezra. “In a Station of the Metro.” Selected Poems, New Directions, 1957, p. 45.

Citing Poems from Different Editions or Translations

When citing poems from different editions or translations, it’s important to include the specific edition or translation in your citation. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, translated by Translator’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Dante Alighieri. “Inferno.” The Divine Comedy, translated by Robert Pinsky, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994, pp. 3-45.

Citing Poetry in Different Languages

When citing poetry in different languages, you need to include the original language and the translation (if applicable). Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, translated by Translator’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Rilke, Rainer Maria. “Duino Elegies.” The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell, Vintage, 1989, pp. 123-124.

Citing Poetry in Electronic Formats

With the rise of digital media, it’s becoming more common to cite poetry from electronic formats such as e-books, audio recordings, and online databases. Here are some guidelines for citing poetry in electronic formats:

Include the URL or DOI for online sources
Specify the format (e.g., e-book, audio recording) in the citation
Include the date of access for online sources

For example:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, Publisher, Publication Date, URL or DOI. Accessed Date.

For example:

Plath, Sylvia. “Tulips.” The Collected Poems, Harper & Row, 1981, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42919/tulips. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

Citing Poetry in Multimedia Formats

Poetry can also be presented in multimedia formats such as videos, performances, and podcasts. When citing poetry in these formats, include the following information:

The author’s name
The title of the poem
The title of the multimedia work
The director or performer (if applicable)
The publisher or distributor
The publication date
The URL or DOI (if applicable)

For example:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Multimedia Work, directed by Director’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, URL or DOI.

For example:

Ginsberg, Allen. “Howl.” Howl, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, New Line Cinema, 2010, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1473312/.

Citing Poetry in Special Collections

When citing poetry from special collections or archives, you need to include specific information about the collection and the repository. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, Special Collection Name, Repository Name, Location.

For example:

Stevens, Wallace. “The Emperor of Ice-Cream.” The Wallace Stevens Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven.

Citing Poetry in Anthologies with Multiple Editors

When citing poetry from anthologies with multiple editors, include all the editors in the citation. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Anthology, edited by Editor’s Name, Editor’s Name, and Editor’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 18.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, and Gordon McMullan, 9th ed., W. W. Norton, 2012, pp. 1023-1024.

Citing Poetry in Translations

When citing poetry in translations, include the translator’s name in the citation. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, translated by Translator’s Name, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Neruda, Pablo. “Ode to the Book.” Selected Odes of Pablo Neruda, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden, Copper Canyon Press, 2003, pp. 123-124.

Citing Poetry in Collections with Multiple Volumes

When citing poetry from collections with multiple volumes, include the volume number in the citation. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Collection, vol. Volume Number, Publisher, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Whitman, Walt. “Song of Myself.” Leaves of Grass, vol. 1, Dover Publications, 1993, pp. 45-46.

Citing Poetry in Periodicals

When citing poetry from periodicals, include the title of the periodical, the volume and issue numbers, and the page numbers. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Periodical, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Page Number(s).

For example:

Sexton, Anne. “Her Kind.” The New Yorker, vol. 42, no. 3, 1966, pp. 45-46.

Citing Poetry in Manuscripts

When citing poetry from manuscripts, include the repository information and the collection name. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Manuscript, Repository Name, Location.

For example:

Plath, Sylvia. “Lady Lazarus.” The Sylvia Plath Collection, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington.

Citing Poetry in Unpublished Works

When citing poetry from unpublished works, include the author’s name, the title of the poem, and the date of composition. Here is the format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Unpublished manuscript, Date of Composition.

For example:

Smith, John. “Untitled Poem.” Unpublished manuscript, 2023.

Citing Poetry in Performances

When citing poetry from performances, include the author’s name, the title of the poem, the title of the performance, the date of the performance, and the location

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