How To Cite Lines In Poetry

Introduction

Citing poetry lines correctly is essential for academic writing and references. Not only is it important to document the source of the lines, but also to tell readers where the lines come from within the poem. Citations should follow a specific style format that often depends on the discipline and type of publication. For example, MLA and APA provide different guidelines. Knowing the right way to cite poetry lines is an important part of properly citing literature sources. This article will explain how to cite lines in poetry using HTML format.

Citing Poetry Lines in Text

When citing lines spoken by a character in a poem written in prose format, it is usually acceptable to cite the line in regular text, as long as the source is cited at the end of the sentence. For example, in T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, the narrator proudly declares, “I am no prophet – and here’s no great matter” (lines 50-51). Lines that do not follow this format should be cited by referencing the line numbers in the poem. In poetry written in verse format, every line is a poem in itself, so all lines must be referenced separately.

Citing Poetry Lines for a Reference List

When creating a reference list for a poem, it is important to include the author, title of the poem, name of the collection or anthology the poem is from (if applicable), editor (if applicable), published date, publisher, and volume number or pages. The poet’s last name and the line numbers should then be included in the text of the paper. For example, Eliot’s line about being no prophet could be cited in the text as (Eliot 50-51).

Finding Line Numbers

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In most cases, finding the line numbers in a poem is not difficult. Most poems have line numbers near the left margin of the poem. However, some poems do not contain line numbers, so it is important to confirm the line numbers before citing a line. For example, if the poem is published in an anthology or website, the editor or webmaster may have inserted the line numbers, while other editions may not contain them. If the poem does not have line numbers, the line of text can simply be cited in the text without a line number.

Citing Poetry Lines in HTML Format

Citing lines from a poem in HTML format requires a few steps. First, you need to identify the line numbers in the poem. Once you have identified the line numbers, the poem should be formatted as follows:

“I am no prophet – and here’s no great matter” (Eliot, lines 50-51).

By adding the line tag to the beginning of the line number, the text becomes a line tag. For example, if the line numbers are lines 6-7, the code would need to be formatted like this:

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“I am no prophet – and here’s no great matter” (Eliot, Using Poetry Citations in a Bibliography

When citing lines from a poem in the bibliography, it is important to remember to include all the necessary information, such as the author’s name and the line numbers. This will ensure that readers can easily locate the source. For example, for Eliot’s poem, the bibliography entry would look like this:

Eliot, T.S. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. Poetry, vol. 41, no. 1, Oxford University Press, 1921, p. 50-51.

Including this information in the bibliography will ensure that readers can easily locate the poem.

Citing Poetry Lines in an Acknowledgements Page

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When citing lines from a poem in an acknowledgements page, the line numbers and author of the poem should be included. For example, if Eliot’s line is being cited in an acknowledgements page, the citation should look like this:

T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, lines 50-51.

This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Using Poetry Citations in Endnotes

When citing lines from a poem in endnotes, the line numbers and author of the poem should be included. For example, if Eliot’s line is being cited in an endnote, the citation should look like this:

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T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, lines 50-51.

This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Citing Poetry Lines in a Footnote

When citing lines from a poem in a footnote, the line numbers and author of the poem should be included. For example, if Eliot’s line is being cited in a footnote, the citation should look like this:

T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, lines 50-51.

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This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Using Poetry Citations in Parenthetical Citations

When citing lines from a poem in a parenthetical citation, the line numbers and author of the poem should be included. For example, if Eliot’s line is being cited in a parenthetical citation, the citation should look like this: (Eliot, lines 50-51). This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Using Poetry Citations in an In-text Citation

When citing lines from a poem in an in-text citation, the line numbers and author of the poem should be included. For example, if Eliot’s line is being cited in an in-text citation, the citation should look like this: Eliot (50-51). This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Using Poetry Citations in a Works Cited Page

When citing a line from a poem in a works cited page, it is important to include all the necessary information, such as the author’s name and the line numbers. This will ensure that readers can easily locate the poem. For example, for Eliot’s poem, the entry in the works cited page would look like this:
Eliot, T.S. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. Poetry, vol. 41, no. 1, Oxford University Press, 1921, p. 50-51.

Using Poetry Citations with Multiple Authors

When citing lines from a poem with multiple authors, the list of authors should be included in the citation. For example, if a poem by Eliot and Shelley is being cited, the citation should look like this: (Eliot and Shelley, lines 50-51). This will allow readers to easily identify the source of the line and where it was quoted from.

Conclusion

Citing lines from a poem correctly is essential for academic writing and references. Knowing the right way to cite poetry lines is an important part of properly citing literature sources. It is important to document the source of the lines, but it is also important to tell readers where the lines come from within the poem. Following specific style format guidelines is essential when citing lines in poetry. HTML format can be used to cite lines from a poem, as long as the line numbers and author of the poem are included.