When citing a poem in APA style, the format depends on whether the poem is published as a standalone work, included in an anthology, or accessed online. Here are the general guidelines for citing a poem in APA style:
Poem as a Standalone Work
If the poem is published as a standalone book, cite it like a book. The general format is:
Lastname, F.M. (Year of publication). Title of poem in title case. Publisher.
Example: Eliot, T.S. (1943). Four quartets. Faber and Faber.
Poem Included in an Anthology
If the poem is part of an anthology, the citation includes the poem’s title in title case, the editor’s name (if applicable), the title of the anthology, the page numbers on which the poem can be found, and the publisher. The format is:
Lastname, F.M. (Year of publication). Title of poem. In Editor’s Firstname Lastname (Ed.), Title of anthology in title case (pp. Page numbers). Publisher.
Example: Sylvia, P. (1992). The new colossus. In A.M. Easthope (Ed.), Contemporary poetry: An introduction (pp. 222-223). Routledge.
Poem Accessed Online
For poems accessed online, include the title of the poem, the title of the website or online publication, the retrieval date, and the URL. The basic format is:
Lastname, F.M. (Year of publication). Title of poem. Title of website, Day Month of retrieval, from https://www.url.com
Example: Whitman, W. (1855). Song of myself. Poetry Foundation, retrieved 20 April 2023, from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45477/song-of-myself-1892-version
In-Text Citation
For in-text citations of poems, the author’s last name and year of publication are used, just like with any other APA citation. If the poem does not have a specific publication date (common with ancient texts), use “n.d.” (no date). For direct quotes or specific lines from the poem, include the line numbers in the in-text citation.
Example: (Whitman, 1855, lines 12-15)
or for a paraphrase: (Whitman, 1855)
If the poem is from an anthology or a collection, include the page numbers after the year (if needed for clarity or if quoting directly):
(Eliot, 1943, p. 15)
Additional Tips
- No Date: If the publication date is not available, use “n.d.” in the citation.
- No Author: If the poem’s author is not identified, start the citation with the title of the poem, in title case.
- Multiple Authors: If the poem has multiple authors, separate the authors’ names with commas and use “and” before the last author’s name, just like in APA style for other types of works.
- Same Author, Multiple Poems: If citing multiple poems by the same author, the in-text citations should include the title of the poem in title case to differentiate between them.
Always refer to the latest APA Publication Manual or the APA website for the most current guidelines and examples, as citation styles can evolve over time.
