Cite a poem in MLA by using the poet’s last name and the line number(s) in parentheses
If the poem appears on a single page, use the page number instead of line numbers
If the poem is in an anthology or collection, include the page number from the source
If the poem has line numbers, cite them as line numbers in the parenthetical citation
For one line, use the line number: (Frost 12)
For two or more lines, use a range: (Frost 12-15)
If the poet’s name is mentioned in the sentence, include only the page or line number in parentheses
In the Works Cited entry, list the poet’s last name, first name
Put the poem title in quotation marks if it is a short poem
Italicize the title if the poem is book-length
Include the title of the collection or book if applicable
Include the editor, translator, or anthology title if relevant
Include publication information for the source
If citing a poem from a website, include the website title, publisher, date, and URL
If citing a poem from a book, include the book title, publisher, year, and page range
If citing a poem with no page or line numbers, use the author’s name only if allowed by your instructor or source format
Match the citation format to the version of the poem you used