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How to Cite a Poem in MLA (9th edition)

Learn how to cite poems, verse, and poetry from anthologies or collections in MLA format (9th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

MLA Works Cited Format

Here is the standard MLA format for citing a poem in your Works Cited page:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Poem." Title of Anthology, edited by Editor First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year, pp. xx–xx.

MLA In-Text Citation

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

Parenthetical

(Author lines 12–14)

Narrative

Author opens the poem with "..." (lines 1–4).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your poem.
  2. Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the MLA (9th edition) template shown above.
  3. Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
  4. Add to your Works Cited: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match MLA requirements.

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Cite a Poem in Other Styles

Poem in APAPoem in ChicagoPoem in HarvardPoem in VancouverPoem in IEEEPoem in AMAPoem in TurabianPoem in CSEPoem in BibTeXPoem in NaturePoem in ACSPoem in OSCOLAPoem in BluebookPoem in AGLCPoem in ASAPoem in APSAPoem in AAAPoem in NLMPoem in ACMPoem in APSPoem in AIPPoem in CellPoem in SciencePoem in PLOSPoem in BMJPoem in LancetPoem in JAMAPoem in Elsevier HarvardPoem in Springer

Cite Other Sources in MLA

Website in MLABook in MLAJournal Article in MLAYouTube Video in MLAPodcast in MLANewspaper Article in MLAMagazine Article in MLABlog Post in MLAWikipedia in MLAPDF in MLAInterview in MLASocial Media Post in MLAGovernment Document in MLADissertation or Thesis in MLAConference Paper in MLALecture or PowerPoint in MLAWebinar in MLAImage or Photograph in MLAMovie or Film in MLADocumentary in MLATV Show in MLASong or Music in MLACourt Case in MLAPatent in MLAEncyclopedia Entry in MLADictionary Entry in MLADataset in MLASoftware or App in MLAVideo Game in MLAPress Release in MLAReport in MLAPreprint in MLABook Chapter in MLAChatGPT in MLABible in MLATED Talk in MLAEmail in MLAReddit or Forum Post in MLAMap in MLA

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