Part 1. An Introduction to MLA Citation
The Modern Language Association (MLA) is one of the most widely-recognized resources for properly citing sources in academic writing. As such, it is important to understand how to correctly cite poetry in MLA style. By accurately citing information and maintaining consistency in your citations, you can protect yourself against plagiarism and ensure that your work is taken seriously by your peers.
Part 2. Citing a Single Poem in MLA
Citing a single poem in an anthology is relatively simple. Start by citing the entire anthology, followed by the poem’s author, title and page number in brackets. For example:
“The Road Not Taken” (Frost 99).
It is important to remember to include page numbers when citing sources — this is particularly true when dealing with poem citations. In the above example, Frost refers to the author of the poem.
Part 3. Citing Multiple Poems in MLA
If you are citing multiple poems from the same anthology or collection, you only need to cite the anthology/collection once. For example:
Frost, Robert. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “The Road Not Taken.” 99-100.
Part 4. Citing a Poem in a Short Form
Sometimes, you may want to cite a poem in briefer format. Start by citing the source, then follow with the poet’s name, the title of the poem in quotation marks and the line numbers. For example:
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken” 1-2.
Part 5. Citing a Poem from an Online Source
If you are citing a poem from an online source, you will need to start by citing the website’s title and the author’s name, followed by the title of the poem in quotation marks and the line numbers. For example:
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken” The Academy of American Poets, 1-2.
It is important to note that online sources tend to be more prone to changes, so you should make sure to use the most recent version available.
Part 6. Citing a Poem in an Anthology Book
In terms of citing individual poems in anthologies, you should start with citing the author’s name, the title of the poem, the anthology title and the editor’s name (if applicable), followed by the page numbers. For example:
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Riverside Anthology of Poetry. Eds. P. Lee and R. Torrens. 99-100.
Part 7. Citing a Poem Quoted in Another Source
Sometimes, you may need to cite a poem that has been quoted in another source. When dealing with this situation, you should start with citing the quoted source, followed by the poet’s name, the title of the poem and the line numbers. For example:
Reginald, Stephen. “The Road Not Taken.” Frost 1-2.
Part 8. Citing a Poem in a Magazine
If you are citing a poem that has been published in a magazine, you will need to start with the author’s name, followed by the title of the poem and the magazine title. For example:
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Atlantic Monthly.
Part 9. Citing a Poem in an Online Magazine
When citing a poem published in an online magazine, you should start with the author’s name, followed by the title of the poem and the magazine title. You may also need to include the URL and the date on which you accessed the piece. For example:
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Atlantic Monthly (https://www.theatlantic.com/). Accessed 2 Feb 2021.
Part 10. Summing Up
As you can see, citing poems in MLA style is relatively straightforward. While there are some variations depending on the source, the basic format remains the same. As long as you follow the guidelines outlined here, you should be able to correctly cite any poem in MLA format.
