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How to Cite a Poem in MLA

Poems old and new offer a cornucopia of sensibility, observation, knowledge and opinion. Given this wealth, it's not unlikely that at least once in your scholastic career you will find it necessary to cite a poem. The Modern Language Association of America has simple guidelines for citing a poem according to MLA style.

Instructions

    • 1

      Write the last and first name of the author separated by a comma and followed by a period.

      For example: Quint, Marvin.

    • 2

      Write the title of the poem followed by a period. Place the title in quotation marks. Make sure the period is within the last quotation mark.

      For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament."

    • 3

      Write the title of the book or volume in which the poem appears, followed by a period. For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament." Poems of Loss and Woe. (Italicize the book title.)

    • 4

      Write the name of the editor of the book or volume, preceded by "Ed." and followed by a period. If the book or volume has no editor, omit this step.

      For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament" Poems of Loss and Woe. Ed. Poppy Good.

    • 5

      Write the city of publication, followed by a colon. If the city might be unfamiliar to your reader, give the two-letter code of the state in which the city is located.

      For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament." Poems of Loss and Woe. Ed. Poppy Good. Durango, TX:

    • 6

      Write the publisher's name and the year of publication with a comma separating them and a period following.

      For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament." Poems of Loss and Woe. Ed. Poppy Good. Durango, TX: Rush Around Press, 1967.

    • 7

      Write the page or pages where the cited poem can be found, followed by a period.

      For example, Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament." Poems of Loss and Woe. Ed. Poppy Good. Durango, TX: Rush Around Press, 1967. 27.

    • 8

      Write the word "Print" followed by a period, indicating a hard-copy source.

      For example: Quint, Marvin. "Late-Night Lament." Poems of Loss and Woe. Ed. Poppy Good. Durango, TX: Rush Around Press, 1967. 27. Print.

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