How do I cite a poem in Harvard?

To cite a poem in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for a poem in Harvard?

In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (Author, Year)

How to Cite a Poem in Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Learn how to cite poems, verse, and poetry from anthologies or collections in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Harvard Reference List Format

Here is the standard Harvard format for citing a poem in your reference list:

Author, A.A. (Year) 'Title of poem', in E. Editor (ed.) Title of anthology. Place of publication: Publisher, pp. xx–xx.

Harvard Example for a Poem

A complete Harvard reference for a poem, formatted by the official Harvard CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Whitcombe, I. (2012) “Reading room at dusk,” in Pratt, O. (ed.) Collected Poems, 1990-2010. Chicago: Lakeshore Press, pp. 112–113.

Matching in-text citation: (Whitcombe, 2012)

Harvard In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Author, Year)

Narrative

Author (Year) evokes...

Key Harvard Formatting Rules

Put the poem title in single quotation marks; italicize the anthology title.
Introduce the editor with "in" and the role (ed.) or (eds.).
Include the place of publication and publisher.
End with the page range as pp. xx–xx.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your poem.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Harvard (Cite Them Right) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Harvard requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: harvard.csl

Editorial sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a poem in Harvard?: To cite a poem in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Harvard format for a poem citation?: The Harvard format for a poem is: Author, A.A. (Year) 'Title of poem', in E. Editor (ed.) Title of anthology. Place of publication: Publisher, pp. xx–xx.
What does the in-text citation look like for a poem in Harvard?: In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (Author, Year)