When citing a poem in APA style, the format depends on whether the poem is published as a standalone work, part of a collection, or found online. Here’s a general guide to help you cite poems correctly:
1. Poem from a Collection or Anthology
If you’re citing a poem from a collection or anthology, the citation includes the poet’s last name, first initial, publication year, poem title (in title case), collection title (in title case and italicized), page numbers, and the editor’s name if applicable.
In-text citation: Parenthetical: (Lastname, Year, p. PageNumber) Narrative: Lastname (Year) noted, “line(s) of poetry” (p. PageNumber).
Reference entry: Lastname, F. M. (Year). Poem title. In E. M. Editor (Ed.), Collection title (pp. PageNumbers). Publisher.
Example:
In-text: (Dove, 1999, p. 23) or Dove (1999) writes, “line(s) of poetry” (p. 23).
Reference: Dove, R. (1999). Lady freedom among us. In L. Goldman (Ed.), The best American poetry 1999 (pp. 23-25). Scribner.
2. Poem Published as a Standalone Work
If the poem is published as a standalone book, the citation is similar to a book citation.
In-text citation: Parenthetical: (Lastname, Year, p. PageNumber) Narrative: Lastname (Year) stated, “line(s) of poetry” (p. PageNumber).
Reference entry: Lastname, F. M. (Year). Poem title. Publisher.
Example:
In-text: (Eliot, 1943, p. 15) or Eliot (1943) observed, “line(s) of poetry” (p. 15).
Reference: Eliot, T. S. (1943). Four quartets. Harcourt.
3. Poem Found Online
For poems found online, include the poet’s name, publication year (if available), poem title (in title case), the website title (in title case and italicized), the URL, and the retrieval date if the poem does not have a publication date.
In-text citation: Parenthetical: (Lastname, Year) Narrative: Lastname (Year) wrote, “line(s) of poetry”.
Reference entry: Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Day of Publication). Poem title. Website Title. https://www.url.com
Example (without publication date):
In-text: (Whitman, n.d.) or Whitman (n.d.) said, “line(s) of poetry”.
Reference: Whitman, W. (n.d.). Song of myself. The Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45477/song-of-myself-1892-version
Remember, if the poem doesn’t have a specific publication date or page numbers (common in online sources), you’ll only cite what’s available, focusing on providing enough information for the reader to locate the source.
