how do you quote poems in an essay

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MLA Formatting Quotations

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When you directly quote the works of others in your paper, you will format quotations differently depending on their length. Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating quotations into your paper. Please note that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced .

Short quotations

To indicate short quotations (four typed lines or fewer of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide the author and specific page number (in the case of verse, provide line numbers) in the in-text citation, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.

Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:

When using short (fewer than three lines of verse) quotations from poetry, mark breaks in verse with a slash, ( / ), at the end of each line of verse (a space should precede and follow the slash). If a stanza break occurs during the quotation, use a double slash ( // ).

Long quotations

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2   inch  from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come  after the closing punctuation mark . When quoting verse, maintain original line breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples :

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

When citing long sections of poetry (four lines of verse or more), keep formatting as close to the original as possible.

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We Romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. (qtd. in Shrodes, Finestone, Shugrue 202)

When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph:

In "American Origins of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Movement," David Russell argues,

Writing has been an issue in American secondary and higher education since papers and examinations came into wide use in the 1870s, eventually driving out formal recitation and oral examination. . . .

From its birth in the late nineteenth century, progressive education has wrestled with the conflict within industrial society between pressure to increase specialization of knowledge and of professional work (upholding disciplinary standards) and pressure to integrate more fully an ever-widening number of citizens into intellectually meaningful activity within mass society (promoting social equity). . . . (3)

Adding or omitting words in quotations

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text:

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipses, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless they would add clarity.

When omitting words from poetry quotations, use a standard three-period ellipses; however, when omitting one or more full lines of poetry, space several periods to about the length of a complete line in the poem:

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How to Quote Poetry in MLA Referencing

4-minute read

• 10th December 2019

Writing about Robert Frost? Scribbling about Shakespeare? Then make sure you know how to quote poetry . This is not quite the same as quoting prose, but the rules are easy to understand once you know them. Here, for example, is how to quote and reference a poem in MLA referencing .

How to Quote Poetry in the Text

The format for quoting poetry in MLA depends on how much you are quoting. If it is three lines or fewer, you can quote it in line with the rest of your text. However, you will need to include a forward slash to indicate a line break (or a double slash for a stanza break). For example:

In “For E.J.P.,” he writes “I once believed a single line / in a Chinese poem could change / forever how blossoms fell” (Cohen 1-3).

As you can see, we also cite the poem after we have quoted it. The citation format here follows standard MLA conventions , but you should typically use line numbers rather than page numbers.

For quotes of more than three lines, set it on a new line, without quote marks, and indented from the left margin (like a block quote). For instance:

The poem ends as follows:

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. (Frost 15-20)

Try to make the layout of the poem as close as possible to the original.

Poem Titles: Italics or Quote Marks?

Another question is how to present poem titles on the page. This depends on the poem’s length. The MLA system suggests:

• For shorter poems published as part of a longer work, use quote marks.
• For longer poems published as a standalone book, use italics.

This applies when you name a poem in your writing, when listing poems in the Works Cited list, and when using titles within citations (e.g., if you are citing two sources by the same person ). So make sure to be consistent!

Poems in a Works Cited List

Finally, we’ll look at how to list poems in your Works Cited list. For single poems published as a standalone book, this is simple: just list it as you would any other book . The same is true when citing a poetry anthology with a single author (though you may need to name the editor, too).

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But for a poem from a mixed anthology (i.e., one containing poems by several authors), the format is like referencing a chapter from an edited book :

Surname, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Anthology , edited by Editor Name(s), Publisher, Year, Page number(s).

Note that we use the actual page numbers for the poem within the container volume here, not line numbers. We would therefore list a print poem in a Works Cited list along the following lines:

Cohen, Leonard. “For E.J.P.” 20 th -Century Poets: An Anthology , edited by G. Edwards, Victor Gollancz Ltd, 2012, pp. 59-60.

For a poem found online, you can reference it as if it were a web page:

Surname, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Site/Publishing Organization , date of publication (if available), URL. Date accessed (if required).

Remember that the date here should be when the poem was published online, not when it was originally written. In practice, then, the Works Cited list entry for a poem found online would look like this:

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” PoemHunter , 20 Oct. 2016, www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-road-not-taken. (Accessed Oct. 19, 2018).

If you are unsure whether to include a date of access, check your style guide or ask your supervisor/professor. And if you’d like someone to check the clarity and consistency of your referencing, our expert editors can help .

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How to Cite a Poem: MLA and APA Formatting Quotations

Writing, and all of its connected skills, are essential to succeed in studying — especially humanities. One such skill is the proper use of quotations. To make a quotation means to place the exact words of another author in your essay — these words could be lines from a poem as well.

When to Use Poem Quotes

When is it appropriate to cite a poem? Most often, quotes from poems are used by liberal art students, literature students, and language students. It is hard to imagine writing an essay about a poet without including some pieces of his works, or describing some poetry trend without providing examples. Also, you may find poem lines used in descriptive, reflective, argumentative, and compare and contrast essays.

Nevertheless, even if you are not a humanities student, you are not limited to use poem citations in your works if the meaning of the line(s) you have chosen is relevant. While there are no rules on where you may cite a poem, there are a lot on how you should do it in different formatting styles. Continue reading to find out more about how to cite a poem correctly or simply use professional help. Need help? You can buy custom essay at EssayPro.

To get help from essay writer online , just let us know your requirements and we will create an original paper with proper formatting.

Citing Poem Quotes in MLA Style

The most popular formatting style is MLA (Modern Language Association). Despite it possibly being the easiest style to use, you will need some time to learn all of the rules, and time to train to apply them.

You might also be interested in how to style an essay using MLA FORMAT

The rules of citing a poem in MLA style depend on the citation’s length. Quotes up to three lines are considered to be short, and quotes longer than three lines – long.

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Citing a Short and a Long Quote

Short Quote Example:

In “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman wrote, “I exist as I am, that is enough, / If no other in the world be aware I sit content, / And if each and all be aware I sit content.”

Long Quote Example:

‍ Emily Dickinson wrote: Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality.

Citing the Title of the Poem

Regardless of the length of a quote, you should clearly indicate the poet’s last name. You should also include the title of the poem if you cite more than one poem by the same author in your work. You may do it in two ways: mention it before the quotation in the main text, or include it in a parenthetical citation at the end of the lines. If you mentioned the name and the title before the quote, but you’re not sure if it will be obvious for the reader, you may repeat it in a parenthetical citation — it won’t be considered as a mistake.

Besides the poet’s last name and the title of the poem, a parenthetical citation should include a line or page number. Here are some brief rules for parenthetical citations:

• If a poem was published with line numbers in the margin, put the line number. Use the word “line”, or “lines”, in the first quotation of your work. Only use numbers in all of the following quotations from the same sources you’ve already quoted.

Example: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.” (Frost, lines 18-20)

• If there are no line numbers in the margin, put the page number in parenthetical citation after the poet’s last name instead. Do not use a comma between the poet’s name and page number.

Example: “Your head so much concerned with outer, / Mine with inner, weather.” (Frost 126)

• If you found the poem from a website, or the page numbers are not available for other reasons, don’t put any numbers at all. Leave only the poet’s last name and poem’s title (if required as mentioned above).

Example: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” (Mary Oliver)

• If you mentioned the poet’s last name and poem’s title before the citation (if required as mentioned above), and you have no lines or page number, don’t make an in-text citation after the quote at all.

Example: Here is what Pablo Neruda wrote about this feeling, “I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, / in secret, between the shadow and the soul.”

• If you would like to cite the title of the poem not in a parenthetical citation, but inside your text, there are two ways to do it, and it depends on the title’s length. Short poem titles should be cited in quotation marks.

Examples: “A Book”, “Fire and Ice”, or “Nothing Gold can’t Stay”

• Long poem titles should be cited in italics.

Example: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Because I could not Stop for Death.

• Don't forget to write a full reference for each source you use in your Works Cited page at the end of your essay. If the poem citation was taken from a book, it should be made in the following format: Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Book: Subtitle (if any) , edited by Editor’s First Name Last Name, Edition (if given and is not first), Publisher’s Name (often shortened), Year of Publication, pp. xx-xx.

Examples: Dickinson, Emily. “A Book.” Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems , edited by Anthony Eyre, Mount Orleans Press, 2019, pp. 55-56.

• If the poem citation was taken from a website, it should be made in the following format: Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Book: Subtitle (if any) , Edition (if given and is not first), Publisher Name (often shortened), Year of Publication, Website Name, URL. Accessed Access Date.

Example: Frost, Robert. “Fire and Ice”. Poetry Foundation , https://poetryfoundation.org/poems/44263/fire-and-ice. Accessed 28 Nov. 2019.

You may also be interested in how to write a conclusion for a research paper . This information will be useful for all kinds of student papers, whether you need just to cite a poem or write a political science essay. If you need assistance, a political science essay writer can help you craft an exceptional paper.

How to Cite a Poem in APA Style?

APA is the abbreviation for American Psychological Association, and is the second most popular formatting style — used mainly in social studies. Here are some APA rules for poem citations that you need to know from our service:

• For poem quotes up to 40 words (short quotes), using quotation marks is obligatory.
• You don’t have to start a short quote from a new line.
• Line breaks in short quotes should be marked by a slash.
• Block citations should be used for quotes longer than 40 words (long quotes).
• You have to start a block citation from a new line.
• Do not use quotation marks for block citations
• Block quotations should be indented 1.3 cm from the left margin, and in double-space formatting.

If your quote is taken from a book, a full reference to the source in the Works Cited page (in APA style) should be made according to the following template: Poet’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Poem title. In Editor Initial. Last Name (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx-xx). Location: Publisher.

Example: Dickinson, E. (2019). A book. A. Eyre (Ed.), Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems (pp.55-56). Cricklade, U.K.: Mount Orleans Press.

If a quotation was taken from a website, the following template should be used: Poet’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Poem title. Retrieved from http://WebAddress.

Example: Dickinson, E. (2019, November 28). I'm Nobody! Who are you? Retrieved from https://poets.org/poem/im-nobody-who-are-you-260.

How to Cite a Poem in Harvard Style? 

In Harvard style, citing a poem follows a similar format to citing other sources. Here's how you can cite a poem using Harvard style:

In-text citation:

For in-text citations, include the poet's last name, the year of publication (if available), and the page number if you are quoting directly. If the poem is online, you can include the title, stanza, or line number instead of the page number.

According to Frost (1916), "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by" (p. 1).

As Frost (1916) famously wrote, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by" (p. 1).

If the poem has no page numbers, you can use line numbers instead:

(Brathwaite, 2007, lines 5-8)

If you're paraphrasing or referring to the poem generally, you can just mention the poet's name and the year:

According to Dickinson (1896), life is often portrayed as a journey.

Dickinson's (1896) poetry often explores themes of mortality and nature.

Reference list entry:

In the reference list, include the full bibliographic details of the poem, including the poet's name, the title of the poem (in italics), the publication year, the title of the book or anthology (if applicable), the editor's name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers (if applicable).

Frost, R. (1916). The Road Not Taken. In Mountain Interval. Henry Holt and Company.

Brathwaite, E. K. (2007). Barabajan Poems 1492-1992. Wesleyan University Press.

Make sure to italicize the poem's title and the book or anthology title. If you're citing a poem from an online source, include the URL and the access date. Always check your institution's guidelines for citation formatting, as variations in citation style requirements may exist.

Tips and Tricks on How to Cite a Poem

Here are a few recommendations on how to format poem quotations properly. They will be useful whether or not you are a beginner or advanced user of poem citations, regardless of what formatting style you are using.

• Read the whole poem to be sure you understand the meaning of the citation and author’s message correctly. Then, decide which lines can be used as a quote for your work.
• Write a few words about: why you chose the lines from your poem, their message, and what their connection is with your essay topic.
• Do not overuse quotations in your work. You may also paraphrase, instead of quoting, in order to share other’s views. Moreover, it is your own work and you shouldn’t rely on others’ words the whole time.
• There is no need to cite the entire poem if you need a few lines in the beginning and a few in the end. Omit middle lines that you don’t need (use ellipses to point out that you will skip words), or create two quotations that connect with your text between them.
• Use embedded quotes. These are quotes that are implemented as a part of your sentence. You may put it at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of your sentence. The idea is to make it an organic part of your text. Example: As well as Robert Frost, at first “I hold with those who favor fire”.
• When citing a specific source (periodicals or a website perhaps), check the specifics on how to cite it in MLA or another format — as there are some particularities we didn’t have time to cover.
• Together with the final review of your essay, proofread your cited quotes for both: appropriate usage, and correct formatting.

For now, before you hone your professional skills, we are here to help you! Do not hesitate to contact our service, no matter what kind of help you need, whether it's a poem citations or physics help .

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How to Cite a Poem in APA?

How to cite a poem in mla, how to properly cite a poem, how to cite a poem in harvard style.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a Poem in MLA

How to Cite a Poem in MLA

When writing a research essay, you may want to include poetry. It can be difficult to know how to cite a poem properly since it’s a particular type of resource that can be found online, in a book, or in an anthology.

This page contains everything you need to know to cite a poem in MLA style within your paper and on your reference page, as well as how to properly quote poems of different lengths within your paper. This page also contains information on creating your citations, formatting examples, and what details you need to compile before you can begin.

This guide follows rules established in the MLA Handbook , 9th edition, but is not officially associated with the Modern Language Association.

What You Need

Before you can create your poem citation, you will need to gather information on your source. If available, find:

• Poet’s first and last name
• Line, page number, or page range
• Title of the poem
• Year of the original and/or source publication
• Title of the book of poetry it’s in
• Title of the website it’s on
• Title of the anthology it’s in
• Name of the publishing company or website publisher
• URL (if applicable – online sources only)
• Editor(s) first and last name(s) (if applicable – anthologies only)

Citing a Poem Found Online 

Since poems can come from multiple sources, there are a few basic formats you can follow to create a citation. The formatting guidelines are different depending on where you found the poem. This section contains the basic format for any poetry you found online, including if it’s a PDF from another source.

Basic format:

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Year of poem’s original publication (if available). Title of the Website, Name of Website Publisher, URL. Accessed day month year.

Frost, Robert. “Birches.” 1969. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44260/birches. Accessed 1 Mar. 2020.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Begin the citation with the poet’s last name, with the first letter capitalized. Follow the last name with a comma and then the poet’s first name, also with a capitalized first letter. Follow the first name with a period.
• Put the title of the poem in quotation marks. Place a period after the title of the poem within the quotation marks. The title of the poem should be capitalized in title case (using capital letters only at the beginning of principal words).
• Put the numerical year of the poem’s original publication. You may have to do research beyond your online source for the poem to find this information. Follow the numerical year with a period.
• Put the title of the website in italics. Be sure to use title case capitalization here again. Follow the website title with a comma.
• Put the name of the website publisher in normal text (not italicized), using title case capitalization. Follow with a comma.
• Put the URL for your web source, without including https:// at the beginning. Follow the URL with a period.
• Write the word “Accessed” (with a capital A, without the quotation marks) followed by the date you looked up the web resource. The format for the date should be: the numerical day, capitalized and spelled-out month, and full numerical year. Be sure to place a period after the year to end your citation. The date should not include commas. So, for example, if the date you accessed your web source was March 12, 2020, you would finish your citation with “Accessed 12 Mar. 2020.” The access date is supplemental and may not always need to be included.

Citing a Poem from a Book

The formatting guidelines for citing a poem from a book are different from the guidelines for citing a poem found online. Note that anthologies have their own citation format. An anthology is a collection of works from different authors. This section contains the basic guidelines for citing a poem from a book. The format for anthologies is provided in the next section.

Basic Format: 

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Book, Name of Publishing Company, Year of publication, page number or page range.

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” Robert Frost Selected Poems, Fall River Press, 2011, p. 25.

• Put the title of the book where you read the poem in italics and title case, followed by a comma.
• Put the name of the publishing company in normal text (not italicized) as it is capitalized in the book, followed by a comma. This should be in title case since it is a proper noun. You do not need to include the location of the publisher.
• Put the numerical year of the book’s publication (which may be different from the year of the poem’s original publication), followed by a comma.
• Provide the page number(s) for the poem you are citing using “p.” or “pp.” and the page number or page range. For example, if the poem is on page 26, put p. 26. If the poem spreads across two or more pages, use “pp.” For example, if the poem is from page 26-29, put pp. 26-29. Follow the page number with a period to end your citation.

Citing a Poem from an Anthology

The guidelines for citing a poem from an anthology are different from the guidelines for citing a poem found online or even in a poetry book. An anthology is a compilation of different works from different authors or artists. The following format is for poems from an anthology.

Basic Format for a poem in an anthology: 

Poet’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Poem.” Title of Anthology, edited by Editor’s First and Last Name, edition (if applicable), volume (if applicable), Publisher, year of anthology publication, page number or page range.

Drummond, William. “Life.” The Giant Book of Poetry , edited by William Roetzheim, Level4Press Inc, 2006, p. 55.

• Put the title of the anthology where you found the poem in italics and title case, followed by a comma.
• For two editors, separate the names with the word “and” rather than an ampersand.
• For three or more editors, use commas to separate each editor’s name, using “and” only between the last two editors.
• If applicable to the anthology, include the book’s edition (e.g., 4th ed.) followed by a comma.
• If applicable to the anthology, include the book’s volume number (e.g., vol. 2) followed by a comma.
• Put the name of the publishing company in normal text (not italicized) as it is capitalized in the anthology, followed by a comma. You do not need to include the location of the publisher.

In-Text Citations

Unlike the reference page citations, MLA in-text citations for poems are generally the same regardless of the source. The examples below follow Sections 6.22 and 6.36 from the Handbook.

For in an-text citation, all you need to provide is:

• The poet’s last name
• The line number(s) or page number of the poem you are referencing

(Poet’s Last Name, line(s) #-#)

(Chaucer, lines 6-10)

If you state the author’s name within the sentence, you may just include the line numbers in parentheses instead of repeating the author’s name in the in-text citation. If no line numbers for the poem exist, do not count the lines yourself. Instead, include a page number.

As stated by Chaucer, “Thoght ye to me ne do no daliance” (line 8).

Quoting Up to Three Lines of Poetry

Using a direct quote from a poem is different from making a reference to a poem within your paper. To use a direct quote, you must put it in quotation marks.

To quote anything from a partial line of poetry up to three lines of poetry, you can simply use quotations and a “/” symbol to separate the lines, with a space on either side of the slash. Following the in-text citation guidelines in the section above, place your in-text citation at the end of your quote in parentheses, after the closing quotation marks and before the period.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – / I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference” (Frost, lines 18-20).

In Robert Frost’s poem, he states, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – / I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference” (lines 18-20).

Quoting Four or More Lines of Poetry

If you’d like to directly quote four or more lines of poetry within your paper, you will need to follow different guidelines than the ones above for three or fewer lines of poetry. When quoting four or more lines of poetry, you will not use quotation marks. Here are more formatting guidelines:

• In most cases, you will use a colon (:) at the end of the sentence before you begin your direct quote from the poem.
• After the sentence introducing the quote, leave an empty line before beginning the quote.
• You must separate a long quote from the rest of your paper by using a half-inch indent from the left throughout the quote.
• Instead of using a “ / ” to separate the lines of poetry, try to follow the original format of the poem as closely as possible.
• If a line is too long to fit across the page, use a hanging indent, so that the remainder of the line is more indented than the rest of the block quote.
• Place your in-text citation in parentheses at the end of the quote, following the last period (or other punctuation) of the quote and without punctuation after the closing parentheses. If the citation will not fit on the line, add it to the following line on the right-hand side of the page.

The poem describes choices in life by using the metaphor of a fork in the road:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth; (Frost, lines 1-5)

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Published October 21, 2013. Updated May 18, 2021.

Written by Grace Turney. Grace is a former librarian and has a Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Technology. She is a freelance author and artist.

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In-text citation for a poem can be in the following format:

• If you are quoting two or three lines of a poem, the quote should be placed within double quotation marks with a slash as a line separator, with one space on either side. (Stanzas should be separated with a double slash.) The quote should be followed by the author’s last name and the line numbers within parentheses.
• If the author’s name is already mentioned in text, only the line number should be inserted within parentheses next to the quotation.
• If there is no line number available for the poem, page numbers can be used.

William Wordsworth wrote, “The storm came on before its time: / She wandered up and down” (lines 11-12).

• If you are quoting four or more lines of a poem, your quote should be an indented block quote rather than enclosed within quotation marks.
• A colon should be placed at the end of the introductory text with a blank line following it.
• The full block quote should be indented a half inch throughout and match its original formatting as closely as possible.
• The author’s last name and line numbers should be placed at the end of the quotation within parentheses. The end period should be placed before the source.

The author was inspired by the lines of a poem: Not blither is the mountain roe: With many a wanton stroke Her feet disperse the powdery snow, That rises up like smoke. (Wordsworth, lines 13–16)

To cite a poem or short story, include the following details: the author’s name, year published, title of the poem/story, title of the book where you located or read the poem (if applicable), book editor’s first and last name (if applicable), publisher name, and page numbers.

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MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: Citing Poetry

• Works Cited entries: What to Include
• Title of source
• Title of container
• Contributors
• Publication date
• Supplemental Elements
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Editor(s)
• Parts of Books
• Government Publication
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multivolume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Other Formats
• Websites, Social Media, and Email
• About In-text Citations
• In-text Examples
• How to Paraphrase and Quote
• Citing Poetry
• Formatting Your MLA Paper
• Formatting Your Works Cited List
• MLA Annotated Bibliography
• MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
• Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

MLA Poetry Citations

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How to Quote Poetry in an Essay

Last Updated: August 4, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,409 times.

Quoting poetry in your writing is a bit trickier than quoting prose. Because poetry is stylized a certain way, you try to maintain that style for your readers, though how you maintain the style differs according to whether you're using a short quote or a longer quote. After you quote parts of a poem, you'll also need to create an in-text citation and an end reference for the poem to show your readers where you found the information. The most common style to use for citations in literature essays is the style from the Modern Language Association (MLA), though you may also need to use Chicago or American Psychological Association (APA) style.

Quoting Long and Short Passages

• For instance, you could introduce your quotation in this way: As Lord Byron wrote, "...."
• Epigraphs are short quotations that go at the beginning of a paper or heading, that sort of introduce your reader to the topic of your paper.

• So if you're using the first two lines of Lord Byron's poem "She Walks in Beauty," it would look like the following quotation: As Lord Byron writes in his poem "She Walks in Beauty," "She walks in beauty like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies." [3] X Research source
• Note that you add a spaces around the slash.

• When making a longer quote, it's better to introduce it with a full sentence and a colon rather than a phrase. Also, you don't use quotation marks with a block quote.

• For MLA style, a long quote from Byron's poem would follow this format: Lord Byron begins the poem "She Walks in Beauty" with these four lines:             She walks in beauty like the night             Of cloudless climes and starry skies;             And all that's best of dark and bright             Meet in her aspect and her eyes.

• For example, if you wanted to take "in beauty" out of the first line of Byron's poem, it would look like the following quotation: "She walks ... like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies."

• For example, if you quoted the first two lines of Byron's poem, you could use it to talk about Byron's use of similes.

Creating an In-Text Citation in MLA Style

• For a short quote, use this format: As Lord Byron writes in his poem "She Walks in Beauty," "She walks in beauty like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies" (citation).
• Follow this example for a blockquote: Lord Byron begins the poem "She Walks in Beauty" with these four lines:             She walks in beauty like the night             Of cloudless climes and starry skies;             And all that's best of dark and bright             Meet in her aspect and her eyes. (citation)

• Add the name in like the following quote: The poem "She Walks in Beauty" begins with the following lines: "She walks in beauty like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies" (Byron 1-2).
• If the poem is anonymous or uncredited, such as “I Eat My Peas with Honey,” then use a shortened form of the title: ("I Eat" 1-2) [8] X Research source

• Follow this example: The poem "She Walks in Beauty" begins with the following lines: "She walks in beauty like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies" (Byron 1-2).
• If you skip a line, use a comma to separate the numbers. For instance, if you use lines 1 and 3, it would look like this example: (Byron 1, 3).

Creating an End Reference in MLA Style

• The beginning of the citation would follow this format: Byron, George Gordon, Lord.
• If the poem's author is anonymous, start with the title of the poem.

• Continue the citation in this manner: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty."
• Be sure to capitalize important words in the title.

• The citation would continue in this way, since this poem is from the Poetry Foundation: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation,

• This particular citation has none of these attributes, so leave them blank.

• Here's how the citation looks so far: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation, Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute,

• If you were to add a date, it would look like the following citation: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation, Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, 2 August 2016,

• Here's the final citation: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation, Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844.
• Don't add "http://" or "https://" before the web address.

Creating References and In-Text Citations in Chicago and APA

• For example, with APA, the in-text citation would appear this way: "She walks in beauty like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies" (Byron 1-2).
• Just like MLA, you'll use the author's name and line numbers. However, if the poem doesn't have line numbers, you can just use an abbreviation of the title: (Byron "She Walks").

• For APA, use this format with the example from throughout this article: Byron, G. G. (1813). "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844
• Note that APA uses initials rather than full first and middle names. This structure is in place to discourage gender bias.

• In this case, the footnote would look like the following example: 1. Byron, George Gordon, Lord, "She Walks in Beauty," Poetry Foundation, accessed August 2, 2016, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844.
• You can also add a publication date ("Last modified July 2, 2016,") before the access date.

• For Chicago, use this format: Byron, George Gordon, Lord. "She Walks in Beauty." Poetry Foundation. Accessed August 2, 2016. www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844.
• Once again, you can add a publication date ("Last modified July 2, 2016,") before the access date if it has it.

• If you need more information on these styles, review the MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition ; The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition ; the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition ; or Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL), which has information on all three.

Expert Q&A

• Always proofread quotations. Double-check that your quotations are accurate and that you have not made any changes to the text when you transcribed it into your paper. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/eng/resources/how-to-quote-poetry-in-english-papers/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42908/i-eat-my-peas-with-honey
• ↑ http://www.math.grinnell.edu/~simpsone/Connections/Writing/Quote/quote2.html
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/22/
• ↑ https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-8/mla-7-vs-mla-8/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/05/

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How to Cite a Poem Using APA Style

Last Updated: December 18, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 164,646 times.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is very popular, especially in the social sciences. If you need to write a paper in APA style, there are a lot of different formatting rules to consider. Citing sources, such as poems, can be one of the most confusing things, but if you follow a few simple rules, you'll have perfectly formatted citations.

Quoting a Poem in Your Essay

• For example, introduce a short quote like this. Frost writes, "Some say the world will end in fire."

• For example, cite two line of a poem like this: "Some say the world will end end fire, / Some say in ice."

• You should not use quotation marks with block quotes. It is not necessary because the indentation signifies that it is a quote.
• Be sure to maintain the same double spacing that you have in the rest of your paper.

Using Proper In-Text Citations

• If you mention the author's name in the sentence that introduces the quote, include the year in parentheses after the author's name, and the page number in parentheses after the end of quote. For example: In his poem "Fire and Ice," Robert Frost (1923) says, "Some say the world will end in fire." (p. 1)
• If you don't include the author's name in the sentence that introduces the quote, provide all three pieces of information, separated by commas, in parentheses after the end of the quote. For example: "Some say the world will end in fire." (Frost, 1923, p. 1)
• Parenthetical citations should always come after the punctuation of the preceding sentence.

• If you are not referring to one specific page of the poem, you may omit the page number from your parenthetical citation, although you are encouraged to provide a page number whenever possible.

• Capitalize all major words in the title of any work.
• Put quotation marks around the titles of shorter works (such as most poems).
• Italicize or underline the title of longer works (such as anthologies).

Citing a Poem in Your Works Cited

• Author's last name, Author's first name (Year of publication). Title of work: Subtitle. Location: Publisher.

• Author's last name, Author's first name (Year of publication). Title of poem. In Editor's first and last name (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page #). Location: Publisher.

• In general, if your source does not provide a specific piece of information, it is okay to omit it from the citation.
• Note that when citing multiple pages you should notate it with "pp." instead of "p."

• For a website, include the words "Retrieved from" followed by the full web address at the end of your citation.
• For an e-book, include the e-book format in square brackets directly after the title of the book (for example, [Kindle DX version]). Then include the words "Available from" followed by the website from which you retrieved the e-book at the end of your citation.

• Capitalize only the first word of the title of a book, not every word.
• Do not surround the title of a poem with quotation marks.
• Use the title References at the top of your page.
• Alphabetize your entries by the author's last name. If you have more than one source by the same author, use the date of publication to list them chronologically.
• The first line of each citation should not be indented, but all additional lines should be indented 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) (two spaces) from the left margin.
• Maintain the same double spacing you have throughout the rest of your paper.
• If you are providing annotations (descriptions of your sources), provide them directly beneath your citation, indented two spaces further than the second line of your citation.

Community Q&A

• If you plan on writing a lot of papers using APA format, it's a good idea to buy a print copy of the manual or pay for online access. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• APA is not the only style guide out there, so double check that your teacher wants you to use APA. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Be sure to cite all of the sources that you quote, paraphrase, or even refer to when writing a paper so that you avoid all appearances of plagiarism. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Don’t forget that you will also have to compose your entire essay or paper according to the APA style. This includes using the APA rules regarding line and paragraph spacing, typeface, margins, etc. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://libguides.swansea.ac.uk/APA7Referencing/Poetry
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/quotation_marks/quotation_marks_with_fiction.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/cite-poem-apa-format-5072453.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html

About This Article

If you want to cite a poem using the APA style, include your quote from a poem in quotation marks if it's less than 40 words, and use forward slashes to indicate line breaks. To cite a longer passage, begin the quote on a new line and indent it to create a block quotation. For your in-text citation, include the author's name, year of publication, and page number, preceded by the letter "p." When it comes to the title, capitalize all major words, place short titles in quotes, and italicize longer titles. To learn how to include your citation in the works cited section of your essay, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Quote a Poem in an Essay: Best ways

Poetry holds a unique place in literature, offering a rich tapestry of emotions and vivid expressions with quote a poem in an Essay. When crafting an essay, incorporating quotes from poems can elevate the narrative, adding layers of meaning and literary flair. In this guide, we’ll explore the art of quoting a poem in an essay, unraveling the intricacies and offering practical tips to seamlessly integrate poetic verses into your writing with our Poem Generator .

What is Poetry Quotes?

Poetry quotes refer to excerpts or lines taken directly from poems that encapsulate the essence, emotion, or artistic expression within a concise form. These quotes are often used to enhance various forms of writing, including essays, by incorporating the poetic language and literary elements found in the original work.

Before diving into the quoting process, it’s essential to grasp the distinction between quoting and paraphrasing. While paraphrasing involves rephrasing the poet’s words in your own, quoting preserves the original language, capturing the essence of the poet’s expression.

A well-integrated quote should seamlessly blend with the surrounding text. Avoid abrupt introductions; instead, let the quote flow naturally within the context of your sentences. This ensures a smooth transition and prevents disruption in the essay’s flow.

Best way to quote a Poem in an Essay

Choosing a quote that aligns with your essay’s theme is crucial. The selected verse should enhance your argument or illustrate a point, contributing to the overall coherence of your writing. Beyond relevance, consider the literary merit of the chosen poem quote. Opt for verses that showcase poetic devices, such as metaphors, similes, or vivid imagery, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your essay.

Quoting a poem in an essay requires a careful and thoughtful approach to ensure seamless integration while maintaining the integrity of the poet’s work. Here’s a step-by-step guide on the best way to quote a poem in an essay:

• Choose a quote that is relevant to your essay’s theme or supports a specific point you’re making. Ensure the selected verse contributes meaningfully to your argument.
• Familiarize yourself with the citation style required (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago). Different styles have specific guidelines for citing poetry, including how to format line numbers and attribute the quote to the poet.
• In MLA, enclose the quote in double quotation marks and include the poet’s last name and the line number(s) in parentheses. For example: (Frost 23-25).
• In APA, include the poet’s name, the publication year, and the line number(s) in parentheses. For example: (Frost, 1916, p. 23).
• Introduce the quote with a lead-in or context to ensure smooth integration into your writing. Avoid abrupt transitions that may disrupt the flow of your essay.
• Use punctuation effectively to maintain the rhythm of the poem. If a quote ends with a period, retain it; if it ends with an ellipsis, preserve that as well.
• Italics are commonly used to emphasize words in a quote. Ensure italics are used accurately to highlight specific elements within the poem.
• After the quote, provide analysis or commentary. Explain the significance of the chosen verse and how it supports your essay’s argument. Interpret the poetic devices employed by the poet.
• While quotes add value, avoid overloading your essay with excessive quotations. Select key verses that amplify your message without overshadowing your own voice.
• Be consistent in your citation style throughout the essay. This includes using the same format for subsequent quotes from the same poem.
• If quoting multiple lines, use an ellipsis (…) to indicate omitted lines. Be sure to include the correct line numbers to maintain accuracy.
• Encouraging Reflection:
• Use the quote as a springboard for reflection. Pose questions or delve into the emotional or thematic aspects of the verse, encouraging readers to engage with the quoted material.

Remember, the best way to quote a poem in an essay involves a delicate balance between your original voice and the poetic expression you’re incorporating. Thoughtful selection, proper citation, and seamless integration contribute to a compelling and well-crafted essay.

Citing Poems in Different Citation Styles

In the Modern Language Association (MLA) format, citing poems involves specifying line numbers. The format is as follows: (Author’s Last Name Line Number).

In MLA (Modern Language Association) citation style, quoting poems involves a specific format to ensure accurate and consistent referencing. Here’s a guide on how to cite poems in MLA style:

• Example: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (Frost 1).
• Example: Robert Frost’s narrator reflects on the choice between “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (1).
• For longer quotes (four or more lines), format the quote as a block quotation. Start a new line, indent the entire quote one inch from the left margin, and do not use

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

• Example: “Do not go gentle into that good night” (Thomas 6).
• Format: Last Name, First Name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Book or Anthology, edited by Editor’s Name if applicable, edition if applicable, Publisher, Year, page range.
• Example: Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Poetry of Robert Frost: The Collected Poems, Complete and Unabridged, Henry Holt, 1979, pp. 53-54.
• Example: Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.”
• If the poem is not paginated by lines, but by stanzas or sections, use standard numbering.

Analyzing Poetic Devices in Quotes

Delve into the poetic devices within your chosen quotes. Analyze metaphors, similes, and vivid imagery, showcasing your understanding of the poet’s craft. This adds depth to your essay, impressing upon the reader the layers of meaning embedded in the verses.

As you incorporate quotes, convey the inherent poetic elements effectively. Share your insights on how these elements contribute to the overall theme or message of the poem. This analytical approach elevates your essay beyond a mere collection of verses.

All in all, the judicious incorporation of well-chosen poem quotes will both enrich your essay and add depth and feeling to it. Do your best to follow citation styles, and do not overquote. You should have a pleasant blend of the poet’s voice with yours. Analyze poetic devices, encourage critical reflection and allow each quote to play a part in the overall effect. Incorporating carefully selected poem quotes into an essay is not just a academic exercise, it’s a brings your writing to another level. Therefore, use the power of poetry to enhance your essays and thrill readers with language.

Can I change words in a poem when quoting to fit my essay better?

No, it’s crucial to preserve the original wording of the poem when quoting. However, you can add square brackets to insert clarifications or minor changes for grammatical coherence, ensuring your alterations are clearly indicated.

How do I cite a poem with no line numbers in MLA?

When a poem is not paginated by lines, use standard numbering

Can I quote an entire poem in my essay

It’s generally advisable to avoid quoting an entire poem as it may overwhelm your essay. Select key verses that specifically support your argument or theme. If you must quote extensively, consider using block quotations for longer passages

How do I handle indents when quoting a poem as a block quote in MLA format ?

In a block quote, indent the entire quote one inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks for block quotes. Maintain double-spacing throughout, and include the poet’s name and line numbers in parentheses after the quote

Do I need to include the title of the poem in the in-text citation?

While it’s not mandatory in MLA, it’s good practice to include the title, especially if you’re quoting multiple poems by the same poet. This helps readers identify the specific work you’re referencing

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How to Cite a Poem

“  See revolving the globe, The ancestor-continents away group’d together, The present and future continents north and south, with the isthmus between.

See, vast trackless spaces, As in a dream they change, they swiftly fill, Countless masses debouch upon them, They are now cover’d with the foremost people, arts, institutions, known.

See, projected through time, For me an audience interminable. ”

Excerpt From: Walt Whitman. “Leaves of Grass.” Apple Books.

Create Citations for Free

Website Book Journal Other

Roses are red, violets are blue, trying to cite a poem someone gave to you? If so, you’re in luck, because we’re here to explain how to cite a poem!

While it may seem tricky to cite a poem, it’s pretty much the same as citing any type of writing. Many poems are found in anthologies or published collections of works. We’ll provide instructions for citing your poem found in an anthology, not only in MLA format but also in APA and Chicago formats too!

For this example, we’re using a poem found in an anthology called Love Poems , which is available on Google Books . To access the source yourself, use the information found in the citation examples below.

To cite a poem from an anthology, you’ll need to locate the following pieces of information:

• Name of the individual who wrote the poem
• Title of the poem
• Title of the book or anthology
• Name of the individual who edited or compiled the anthology
• Version of the anthology (for example, the edition)
• Publisher of the anthology
• Location of the publisher
• Date the anthology was published
• Page or page range the poem is on (for print sources)
• Name of the website the anthology is on (for online sources)
• URL or DOI (for online sources)

Use the following structure to cite a poem in an anthology in MLA citation style:

Print source:

Last name, First name (of the individual who wrote the poem). “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Anthology , First name Last name of Editor, editor’s title (if applicable), version (only include if it’s clearly labeled as a specific edition or version), Publisher, Date the anthology was published, page or page range (if applicable).

Online source:

Last name, First name (of the individual who wrote the poem). “Title of the Poem.” Title of the Anthology , First name Last name of Editor, editor’s title (if applicable), version (only include if it’s clearly labeled as a specific edition or version), Publisher, Date the anthology was published, Name of the Website or Database the anthology is on , URL or DOI.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA 9 :

Graves, Robert. “Symptoms of Love.” Love Poems , Peter Washington, general editor, Everyman’s Library, 1993, p. 18.

Graves, Robert. “Symptoms of Love.” Love Poems , Peter Washington, general editor, Everyman’s Library, 1993, Google Books , https://books.google.com/books?id=kE-c58Jubj4C&lpg=PP1&dq=love%20poems&pg=PA5#v=onepage&q=love%20poems&f=false.

If you need help with in-text and parenthetical citations, CitationMachine.net, can help. Our MLA citation generator is simple and easy to use!

Use the following structure to cite a poem in an anthology in APA style:

Last name, First initial. Middle initial. of the individual who wrote the poem. (Year the anthology was published). Title of the poem. In First initial. Middle initial. Last name of Editor (Ed.), Title of anthology (p. for page or pp. for page range). URL

Here’s how the above example would be cited in APA:

Graves, R. (1993). Symptoms of love. In P. Washington (Ed.), Love poems (p. 18). https://books.google.com/books?id=kE-c58Jubj4C&lpg=PP1&dq=love%20poems&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=love%20poems&f=false

For more information, visit our APA reference page .

Use the following structure to cite a poem in an anthology in Chicago style:

Last name, First name, Middle initial. of the individual who wrote the poem. “Title of the Poem.” In Title of the Anthology , edited by First name Middle initial. Last name, page or page range. Location of the publisher: Publisher, Year published. URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in Chicago:

Graves, Robert. “Symptoms of Love.” In Love Poems , edited by Peter Washington, 18. New York: Everyman’s Library, 1993. https://books.google.com/books?id=kE-c58Jubj4C&lpg=PP1&dq=love%20poems&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=love%20poems&f=false.

A completed citation is a good start. If you need to go beyond this and create a Chicago style in text citation (footnotes and endnotes), a parenthetical citation example in MLA or APA, a citation for another source type, or need basic citing help, try Citation Machine.

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To cite a poem found in an anthology on an APA-style reference list, include the name of the poet, the anthology publication date, the name of the poem, the name of the compiler (e.g., editor), the name of the anthology, the page number(s), the publisher’s name, a DOI/URL (if applicable), and for poems that have been published elsewhere before appearing in the anthology, also include an original publication date. To write an APA-style in-text citation for a poem, include the surname of the poet, the poem’s original publication date (if applicable), and the anthology’s publication date.

In-text citation

Following are the templates and examples for writing an APA-style in-text citation for a poem in an anthology, both with and without an original publication date.

(Surname of the poet, Publication Year)

Republished and original dates:

(Surname of the poet, Original Publication Year/Anthology Publication Year)

(Kim, 2016)

(Kim, 1965/2016)

Reference-list entry

Following are the templates and examples for citing a poem found in an anthology in APA style.

Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the poem. In F. Editor (Ed.)., Title of the anthology (pp. #–#). Publisher.

Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the poem. In F. Editor (Ed.)., Title of the anthology (pp. #–#). Publisher. DOI/URL (Original work published Year)

Kim, S. J. (2016). The beggar in America. In W. A. Kibbedi (Ed.), Love, love alone: A poetry collection (pp. 7-8). Uganda Christian University.

Kim, S.J. (2016). The beggar in America. In W.A. Kibbedi (Ed.), Love, love alone: A poetry collection (pp. 7-8). Uganda Christian University. (Original work published 1965)

Single line of poetry

Cite the quote as you would cite a normal quotation. In the footnote, be sure to indicate the quotation’s location in the source.

Aside from page number, classic poetry can sometimes be organized by book (bk.), canto, stanza (st.), lines, fragment (frag.), etc. Include these location numbers if it makes sense. The example below has a page number (page 26). Other examples in this FAQ use books and lines.

Note and footnote template:

Example sentence, “Quotation goes here.” 1

• Author First M. Surname, Title of the Book (Publisher location: Publisher Name, year of publication), quotation location .

Note and footnote example:

Gorman instills both sadness and hope: “We will raise this wounded world into a wonderous one.” 1

• Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb (New York: Viking Books, 2021), 26.

Bibliography entry template and example:

Author Surname, First M. Title of the Book . Location: Publisher Name, year of Publication.

Gorman, Amanda. The Hill We Climb . New York: Viking Books, 2021.

Two or more lines, of poetry

If quoting two or more lines of poetry, you may format the quote as a block quote OR as a run-in quotation.

BLOCK QUOTE

Here’s how to format a block quote:

• No quotation marks are needed
• Left-aligned text indented 0.5 inches from the left
• A single line before and after the quotation

Quotation line one goes here.

Line 2 goes here. (Each line goes on its own line.)

Last line goes here. 1

*NOTE: If a line of the poem is too long to fit on a single line, the text that runs to the second line should have a hanging indent.

Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue Vain Warr with Heav’n, and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus displaid.  1

• John Milton, Paradise Lost (Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg, 2017), bk. 2, lines 7-10.

Author Surname, First M. Title of the Book . Location: Publisher Name, year of publication.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost . Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg, 2017. Epub.

RUN-IN QUOTATION

If you are writing in a narrative form and want to save line space, then use the poet’s name in the sentence and explain the lines, followed by the quoted lines from the poem. Add the note number at the end of the sentence.

Use forward slashes with one space on either side ( / ) to show line breaks in the original poem. In case there is a break between stanzas, use a double slash with a single space on either side ( // ) instead of a single slash.

Milton uses light to express his sight in, “When I consider how my light is spent / Ere half my days in this dark world and wide.” 1

Two or more stanzas of poetry

• Left-aligned text
• Add a line before and after each stanza

Quotation stanza one. (Each line goes on its own line.)

Quotation stanza two.

Last stanza. 1

• Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass (Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg, 1998), bk. 2, lines 23-31.

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass . Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg, 1998. Epub.

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Practical Guide to Citing and Quoting a Poem in MLA Format with Great Examples

Bob cardens.

• November 30, 2023
• How to Guides

Working with a poem as a source? Here’s a guide to citing and quoting a poem in MLA format.

Citing a poem in MLA involves using parenthetical citations and ensuring the in-text information matches the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.

Following the author-page format, you can seamlessly integrate quotes and paraphrases into your writing while properly crediting the source. Works by multiple authors, unknown authors, and those with multiple editions require specific citation guidelines that we’ll explore in detail.

Remember, accuracy and proper formatting matter when citing and quoting a poem in MLA format.

Consult the MLA Handbook and Style Manual for further guidance or specific reference questions. And don’t forget, if you need writing help, our expert writers can assist you within 2-3 hours.

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Citing and Quoting a Poem in MLA Format -How to properly cite a quote in MLA format from a poem

The basic format for an i n-text citation of a poem in MLA is to include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. The author’s name can be mentioned in the sentence or enclosed in parentheses, while the page number(s) should always appear in parentheses.

Here are a few examples to illustrate how to cite poems in various scenarios:

In his poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost reflects on the choices we make in life (19). (Frost 19)

If you are citing multiple poems by the same author, you can include the title of the poem in your citation:

Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” emphasizes the power of optimism (4). (Dickinson, “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” 4)

If you are citing a poem from a collection or anthology, you should include the page range of the specific poem:

In “The Waste Land,” T.S. Eliot explores themes of disillusionment and despair (Eliot 25-30). (Eliot 25-30)

Remember, these are just a few examples of how to cite poems in MLA format. The specific rules may vary depending on your source and edition. It’s always a good idea to consult the MLA Handbook for more detailed guidelines.

How to quote up to three lines of poetry:

• Use slashes (/) to indicate line breaks within the poem.
• Keep all punctuation intact as it appears in the poem
• Use quotation marks to denote the beginning and end of the quotation.
• Put the line numbers in parentheses and not page numbers.

Citing a Poem from Print Sources in MLA

It is important to follow the MLA guidelines to ensure accurate and proper citation for print sources such as a book, magazines, scholarly journal articles, or newspapers.

• In-text citations for poems in print sources require a signal word or phrase, typically the author’s last name, followed by the page number where the poem can be found.
• If the author’s name is already mentioned in the sentence, only the page number must be provided in parentheses.
• For example, if you cite a poem from a book by a known author, the in-text citation would follow this format: (Author’s Last Name Page Number).
• If the poem is from an article or a corporate-authored work, the format would be: (Author’s Last Name Page Number).
• Page numbers should always be provided for poems in print sources, even if the poem spans multiple pages.

Here is an example of a properly formatted in-text citation for a poem from a print source:

“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility” (Wordsworth 26).

In this example, the poem is from a book by Wordsworth, and the quote can be found on page 26.

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Citing a Poem from Online Sources in MLA

When citing and quoting a poem in MLA format, citing online sources is essential. This is especially important in today’s digital age, where information can be found online.

The basic format for an online poem citation includes the author’s last name, the poem’s title in quotation marks, the title of the database or website in italics, the publication date, and the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier).

Example: Eliot, T.S. “The Waste Land.” The Waste Land and Other Poems . Poetry Foundation, 1922, www.poetryfoundation.org.

For poems from online newspapers or magazines, the citation follows a similar format but also includes the name of the publication and the section or page number where the poem is located.

How to create a Works Cited Page in MLA

As you complete your research paper or essay, creating a Works Cited page is important to document all the sources you used

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create a well-organized Works Cited page in MLA format.

1. Start a New Page

After the last page of your paper, begin a new page and center the title “Works Cited” at the top. Make sure the page is double-spaced throughout, including the title.

2. Format Your Entries

List your sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If there is no author, use the title of the work instead. Each entry should be flush with the left margin, with subsequent lines indented by 0.5 inches.

For books, include the author’s name, book title in italics, publisher, year of publication, and medium of publication. For articles, include the author’s name, article title in quotation marks, journal or website title in italics, volume and issue numbers, publication date, and medium of publication.

3. Follow the Correct Formatting

Remember to follow the specific formatting guidelines for different types of sources. For example, books are formatted differently from online articles. Double-check your entries for accuracy and consistency.

“The Works Cited page is your opportunity to give credit to the authors and creators of the works you referenced in your paper. By following the MLA guidelines for creating a Works Cited page, you are ensuring the integrity of your research and providing your readers with the necessary information to locate and evaluate the sources you used.”

Key MLA Formatting Guidelines for Citing a Poem

When citing and quoting a poem in MLA format, it’s not just about the in-text citations and Works Cited page. The formatting of your entire paper also needs to follow MLA guidelines. Let’s take a look at some key formatting rules that you need to keep in mind.

• Heading and Title – The first thing to consider is the heading and title of your paper. Your paper should have a heading that includes your name, the instructor’s name, the course title, and the date. The title of your paper should be centred and in the title case.
• Page Numbering and Font – Pages in your paper should be numbered consecutively in the upper right corner, starting from the first page. Use a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial, and set the font size to 12pt
• Margins and Line Spacing – The margins of your paper should be set to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space the entire paper, including the Works Cited page. Use consistent indents for paragraphs, typically half an inch.
• Formatting Titles – There are specific rules to follow when formatting the titles of sources, such as poems and books. Poem titles should be enclosed in quotation marks, while book titles should be italicized or underlined. Make sure to consult the MLA Handbook for specific formatting guidelines.

Remember to;

• Use parenthetical citations in the author-page format, with the author’s last name and page number(s) either in the sentence or in parentheses after the quotation or paraphrase.
• Match the in-text information with the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page.
• Adhere to the specific guidelines for each source type, including the proper order of elements and formatting of titles.
• Accuracy and attention to detail in your citations are key to maintaining academic integrity and adequately crediting your sources.

Source Links

• https://alameda.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/MLA-Handout-new-format-v2.pdf
• https://academics.umw.edu/writing-fredericksburg/files/2011/09/MLA.pdf
• https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sunycorning1020elec201819/chapter/mla-8th-edition/
• thestudycorp.com

How do I cite a poem in MLA format?

To cite a poem in MLA format, you need to include the poet’s last name and the line numbers in the text (e.g., Logan 5-7). If you are citing multiple poems from the same poet, you can include the poem’s title after the poet’s name (e.g., Wordsworth, “Gregory” 5-7). The basic format for an i n-text citation of a poem in MLA is to include the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. The author’s name can be mentioned in the sentence or enclosed in parentheses, while the page number(s) should always appear in parentheses.

What if I don’t know the line numbers?

If the poem does not have line numbers, you can use the page number instead (e.g., Wordsworth 25). Alternatively, you can use the poem’s title, but be sure to enclose it in quotation marks (e.g., Wordsworth, “Daffodils”).

How do I format the citation in the Works Cited page?

For the Works Cited page, the citation for a poem should follow this format: Last name, First name. “Title of Poem.” Title of Book or Anthology (in italics or underlined), edited by Editor’s First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year of publication, page range of poem.

Can I use a shortened version of the poem title in the in-text citation?

Yes, poem is long, you can use a shortened version in the in-text citation. Just make sure it is clear which poem you are referring to. You can use the first few words of the poem’s title or a keyword.

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Cite a Poem

When you're dealing with poems in an essay or any other academic paper, you might find yourself needing to reference or quote them. Knowing how to cite a poem properly will not only help you adhere to academic standards but also enhance your writing by highlighting the relevance of a particular line of the poem. This comprehensive guide will shed light on how to cite a poem in various formats, include both short and long quotes, and ensure that your citations align with the MLA style guidelines. You'll find it handy whether you are a student, writer, or literature enthusiast. Get ready to explore the essentials of citing a poem.

When Should You Cite a Poem?

Citing a poem is crucial when you include specific words, lines, or ideas from a poem in your writing. There are instances when you need to cite a poem, and understanding these scenarios will guide you in applying correct citation. Whether you're using a short poem or a specific  emilyspoetryblog.com line from a longer poem, proper citation will not only help your readers trace the original source but also maintain the integrity of your work. You should cite a poem when quoting it directly, paraphrasing a particular section, or even when referring to its title or author. Citing a poem ensures that you give credit where credit is due, adhering to academic honesty and avoiding plagiarism.

Cite a Poem in Different Formats

When it comes to citing a poem, the format you use might differ based on the style guide you are following. The most common method is MLA formatting, but others like APA and Chicago styles might apply. When citing a poem in MLA, you'll need to include the author's name, poem title, and page number if applicable. For short quotes from the poem, you'll use quotation marks, while for long quotes, you'll apply block quotes formatting. If you are using online sources, don't forget to include the URL. This section will dive deeper into the various ways to cite a poem, ensuring that you do it correctly and efficiently.

Quoting Up to Three Lines of Poetry

When you want to quote a poem in your essay, and it's up to three lines long, you'll use the regular in-text citation method. You should cite the author's last name and the line number in parentheses right after the quote. Here's how to do it: "This is the quote" (Author's Last Name Line Number). For short quotes like these, you'll need to use quotation marks and properly format the citation according to the MLA guidelines. This method is suitable for integrating brief, impactful lines from a poem that can emphasize a point or illustrate a theme in your writing. Make sure to cite the lines correctly to maintain the authenticity of your work.

Quoting More Than Four Lines

When quoting more than four lines from a poem, you should use the block quotes method. This formatting allows you to include longer sections of a poem without crowding your text. To correctly quote a long poem section, start the quote on a new line, indenting one inch from the left margin, and do not use quotation marks. Here's how to format it in your essay: This is the quote This is the continuation of the quote. (Author's Last Name Line Numbers). By following this method, you can include longer quotes from a poem in a visually appealing way, allowing your readers to fully grasp the context and meaning of the quoted section.

Poem Title and Its Importance

The title of a poem is more than just a name; it often provides insights into the poem's theme or subject matter. When citing a poem, you must include the title in italics or enclosed in quotation marks, depending on the citation style. In MLA format, for example, the title should be enclosed in quotation marks. Including the poem title in your citation ensures that your readers can easily locate the original source and perhaps explore it further. This is an essential aspect of citing a poem and one that contributes to the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

Short Quotes

When dealing with short quotes from a poem, you must apply specific formatting rules. These quotes, usually up to three lines long, need to be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by a citation in parentheses. The citation should include the author's last name and the line numbers. Short quotes can be an effective way to emphasize a point or illustrate a theme in your writing. By using them correctly, you'll ensure that your work is both engaging and academically sound. Always remember to cite these short quotes correctly to maintain the integrity of your work.

Long Quotes

Long quotes from a poem, typically more than four lines, require special formatting known as block quotes. These quotes should start on a new line, be indented one inch from the left margin, and should not be enclosed in quotation marks. Including long quotes in your writing allows you to present more substantial portions of a poem, providing your readers with a richer context or a more profound understanding of the subject matter. Long quotes must be cited properly, including the author's last name and the line numbers, following the MLA guidelines. By applying this method correctly, you'll add depth and nuance to your writing while adhering to academic standards.

Quote a Poem in an Essay

Quoting a poem in an essay is not merely about inserting lines from the poem. It involves understanding the context, choosing the appropriate quote that fits your argument, and then formatting it according to the required citation style, such as MLA. When you quote a poem in an essay, you should be thoughtful in selecting the lines that resonate with your topic and contribute to your argument. Don't forget to include both short and long quotes, depending on the need, and always ensure that you cite them correctly. This practice adds credibility to your essay and helps your readers understand the relevance of the quoted poem.

Dos and Don'ts

Citing a poem comes with specific rules and guidelines that you must adhere to. Here are some essential dos and don'ts to keep in mind:

• Always cite the poem's author and title.
• Follow the appropriate citation style, such as MLA.
• Use quotation marks for short quotes and block quotes for long ones.
• Include the line numbers in your citation.
• Forget to include the page number if applicable.
• Misquote or paraphrase without proper citation.
• Overuse quotes, balance them with your analysis and insights.
• Ignore the importance of the poem's title in your citation.

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Everything You Need to Know About Citing a Poem

Academic study, especially in literature, will likely bring you to a moment when you'll need to cite a poem in an essay. When that happens, don't worry, we have you covered. We're going to look at citing poetry in the two most common citation styles, APA and MLA, including in-text citations and those required for footnotes/endnotes and Reference or Works Cited pages.

Although commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences, APA is the style guide of the American Psychological Association (APA) and can be required for essays citing poetry.

In-text citations

For an in-text citation of a poem, APA requires that you add parentheses to the end of the quote and include the last name of the author, followed by a comma and the year of publication of the source. If you are quoting a poem that is online, you can simply use the date of publication of the poem. If you found the poem in a collection or anthology, the in-text citation should include the page number in the anthology where the poem is printed.

But we loved with a love that was more than love--

I and my Annabel Lee--

With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me. (Poe, 1849)

Note that since the above quoted poem is three or more lines, it is formatted within the text like a block quote. Quotation marks are not used and the poem is written exactly as it is in the source. Also note that each line is indented and the section is double spaced, with an in-text citation placed after the final punctuation of the quote.

For poetry quotes that are a single line, this should be treated like any other quote. For example:

In his poem Annabel Lee, Poe writes "But we loved with a love that was more than love--," (1849).

Notice that the in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation and the citation only includes the date since the author (Poe) has already been mentioned.

If the poetry quote contains two lines, treat it like any other quote but include a slash mark (/) where the line breaks in the original source. For example:

The author writes, "But we loved with a love that was more than love--/I and my Annabel Lee--,"(Poe, 1849).

Reference page citation

If you found the poem in an anthology, include the poet's name, anthology publication year, poem title, editors' names, anthology name in italics, page numbers, publishing city and publisher name in the following format:

Eliot, T.S. (1970). Journey of the magi. In A. Allison and H. Barrows (Eds.), The Norton Anthology of Poetry (Third Edition) (pp. 1012-1013). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

If you found the poem on the Web, include the poet's name, year of publication, poem title, retrieval date and web address in the following format:

Poe, E., A. (1849). Annabel Lee. Retrieved, November 30, 2019, from https://poestories.com/read/annabellee

Published by the Modern Language Association (MLA), the MLA style is often used for English studies, modern languages and literatures, literary criticism, and media studies.

For an in-text citation of a poem, MLA requires that you add parentheses to the end of the quote and include the last name of the author. However, this is where the similarity to APA style ends. After stating the name of the author, you'll need to include a comma followed by line numbers of the poem quotes. If there are no line numbers in the text, include the page number where the poem was found. Note that if you go this route, there is no comma in between the author's last name and the page number.

Coveted her and me. (Poe, lines 1-4)

As with APA style, for poetry quotes that are a single line, this should be treated like any other quote. For example:

In his poem Annabel Lee, Poe writes "But we loved with a love that was more than love--," (line 1).

Notice that the in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation and the citation only includes the line number since the author (Poe) has already been mentioned.

The author writes, "But we loved with a love that was more than love--/I and my Annabel Lee--,"(Poe, lines 3-4).

For the reference page or works cited page, include the poet's name, the name of the poem in quotation marks, anthology name, names of editors, publishing company, date of publication, and page number where the poem is found. Here's an example:

Poe, Edgar Allan. "Annabelle Lee." The Norton Anthology of Poetry, edited by A. Allison and H. Barrows, W.W. Norton & Company, 1970, p. 697.

If you found the poem on a website, include the author's last name, author's first name, name of the poem in quotation marks, the name of the website, the website's URL, and the date it was accessed. Here's an example:

Poe, Edgar Allan. "Annabel Lee." Poe Stories, https://poestories.com/read/annabellee. Accessed November 30, 2019.

• Cite Each Line of Poem in Your Essay Properly

How to Quote Poems in Academic Paper Using MLA Style

Many students wonder how to quote poems in academic paper . Making a reference page and quoting poetry or prose is one of the most complicated steps in essay writing. To do it in a right way, a student has to know the next several academic writing styles :

These are the most frequently met paper formats used to quote poems and novels properly. In this guide, we will provide the readers with the main tips on how to quote poems using MLA style.

The next step is to select quotations that would best contribute to the entire work. It is better to go through a perfect example of a paper dedicated to some poem once written by an expert and follow its structure. Keep in mind that your final draft must contain at least 95-97% original text. Otherwise, students risk losing points instead of earning high grades.

When and Why You Might Need to Cite a Poem

It's not difficult to understand how to quote a poem correctly but the hardest thing is to know exactly when you have to quote. Sometimes writers start to use quotes without thinking if it's useful for their essay.  

There is no direct answer on how to quote a poem because it depends on many things, including the author's style, a thesis statement, the length of the poem and essay, and some other issues.

Of course, it doesn't mean you have to give up and start thinking it's so difficult to quote a poem. Follow two great tips below to understand when you need to use a quote:

1. Use quotes only when you need to do it

When you're going to use a quote in your writing, stop before doing this and ask if it adds something useful to your paper. Your quote may provide supportive evidence to the whole essay, and this is a perfect way to use quotes. You may also quote a poem in your work to simplify your writing and explain something to readers more clearly.

Sometimes authors try to avoid quoting but it's not the best way because it can make your essay too long, difficult to read and hard to understand to people. If you want to say something behind the words, at the start try to explain your words and then go to the meaning.

2. Quote poems to support your arguments

Needless to say, you will never be able to find your argument written exactly in the poem. The author develops their own arguments and then explains why this is the right argument using quotes as supportive evidence.

As an example, when you analyze Edgar's Poe "The Raven", you can make an argument that the Raven is a symbol of the writer's sorrow over Lenore. Here you could mention the author repeats the line "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" very often to show the sadness, grief, and feeling of a big loss. Of course, you have to feel the balance here and it's tricky sometimes. 

You can find and read good examples online to see how other authors use quotes. In general, quoting poems needs some time and practice combined with knowledge on how to do it properly.

How to Quote a Poem in MLA Style

When you need to quote a poem in MLA writing style , just use quotation marks as with any other quote. When you quote 2-3 lines, add a slash to mark the breaks and separate the slash by spaces. Check out if you use the same style, capitalization, and punctuation as in the author's poem.

"She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies; / And all that’s best of dark and bright / Meet in her aspect and her eyes;" (Lord Byron).

If you see a stanza between the lines of the short poem , put a double slash to show it.

"Which heaven to gaudy day denies. // One shade the more, one ray the less, / Had half impaired the nameless grace" (Lord Byron).

When you need to quote poetry with more than 3 lines, you need to make a block quote. Just start your quote on a new line (left margin should be half an inch indented). Don't use quotation marks here and place the line breaks.

She walks in beauty, like the night  Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  And all that’s best of dark and bright  Meet in her aspect and her eyes;  Thus mellowed to that tender light  Which heaven to gaudy day denies. 

When you make block quotes, please make sure the format is the same as in the original. 

The Meaning of the Poem’s Title

All the poems usually have a title and stanzas. Some poems may have subtitles. The title is a name given to a poem, and a subtitle may be added by the author as a second title that explains more about the whole poem. Usually, a subtitle is written in italics . 

When people read a poem, they can make a common mistake: they don't read a title and go straight to the poem. They may think the subtitle of the poem is also not important at all but a title and subtitle need each other. 

When you're going to read a poem, start reading its title and subtitle. Think thoroughly about what you already know about the words in the title and subtitle. Then try to make a prediction about what this poem will be about.  

General Rules of In-Text Citations for Poems

When you need to quote a poem, it's important to state the poet's name clearly to let the readers find the source in the References page. If you need to quote several poems from the one author, state the title of the poem you're citing.  

You need to know the anthology of your chosen literature as well as many other terms before you compose your essay on a particular poem. Usually, you need to write the title of the poem and its author in the text when you write a quote. If there is any ambiguity about which poem you want to quote, you should write the poet's name and title after the quote in a parenthetical citation.

Page numbers and line in parenthetical citations

You can find poems that are published with line numbers. You can use these numbers in your quotes to locate them more precisely. In the first quote, write the word "line" but write only numbers in subsequent quotes.

"But tell of days in goodness spent, / A mind at peace with all below, / A heart whose love is innocent!" (Byron, lines 16-18).

If you see there are no numbers for lines in the poem, there is no need to count them. If the poem is long and it's published over several pages, write the page number.

"Nor need I to repine / That all those charms have pass'd away, / I might have watch'd through long decay." (Byron, 23).

If you cannot find a page number (this may happen if you're reading a poem online on the website) or if the poem is short and appears on the single page, you need to include the author's name.

"That host with their banners at sunset were seen: / Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown, / That host on the morrow lay withered and strown." (Byron).

If you have already written the title of the poem and it's author while introducing the quote, and there are no page numbers and line numbers, there is no need for a parenthetical citation.

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• How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on April 15, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on May 31, 2023.

Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a source, you must ensure:

• The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote
• The original author is correctly cited
• The text is identical to the original

The exact format of a quote depends on its length and on which citation style you are using. Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism which is easy to detect with a good plagiarism checker .

Table of contents

How to cite a quote in apa, mla and chicago, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about quoting sources.

Every time you quote, you must cite the source correctly . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style you’re using. Three of the most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA , you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas . If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation , you name the author in your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the quotation marks .

• Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510) .
• Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p. 510) .

Complete guide to APA

Citing a quote in mla style.

An MLA in-text citation includes only the author’s last name and a page number. As in APA, it can be parenthetical or narrative, and a period (or other punctuation mark) appears after the citation.

• Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin 510) .
• Darwin explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (510) .

Complete guide to MLA

Citing a quote in chicago style.

Chicago style uses Chicago footnotes to cite sources. A note, indicated by a superscript number placed directly after the quote, specifies the author, title, and page number—or sometimes fuller information .

Unlike with parenthetical citations, in this style, the period or other punctuation mark should appear within the quotation marks, followed by the footnote number.

Complete guide to Chicago style

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Make sure you integrate quotes properly into your text by introducing them in your own words, showing the reader why you’re including the quote and providing any context necessary to understand it.  Don’t  present quotations as stand-alone sentences.

There are three main strategies you can use to introduce quotes in a grammatically correct way:

• Add an introductory sentence
• Use an introductory signal phrase
• Integrate the quote into your own sentence

The following examples use APA Style citations, but these strategies can be used in all styles.

Introductory sentence

Introduce the quote with a full sentence ending in a colon . Don’t use a colon if the text before the quote isn’t a full sentence.

If you name the author in your sentence, you may use present-tense verbs , such as “states,” “argues,” “explains,” “writes,” or “reports,” to describe the content of the quote.

• In Denmark, a recent poll shows that: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• In Denmark, a recent poll shows that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• Levring (2018) reports that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Introductory signal phrase

You can also use a signal phrase that mentions the author or source, but doesn’t form a full sentence. In this case, you follow the phrase with a comma instead of a colon.

• According to a recent poll, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• As Levring (2018) explains, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Integrated into your own sentence

To quote a phrase that doesn’t form a full sentence, you can also integrate it as part of your sentence, without any extra punctuation .

• A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• Levring (2018) reports that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (p. 3).

When you quote text that itself contains another quote, this is called a nested quotation or a quote within a quote. It may occur, for example, when quoting dialogue from a novel.

To distinguish this quote from the surrounding quote, you enclose it in single (instead of double) quotation marks (even if this involves changing the punctuation from the original text). Make sure to close both sets of quotation marks at the appropriate moments.

Note that if you only quote the nested quotation itself, and not the surrounding text, you can just use double quotation marks.

• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “ “ Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, ” he told me, “ just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” ” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway begins by quoting his father’s invocation to “remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1).

Note:  When the quoted text in the source comes from another source, it’s best to just find that original source in order to quote it directly. If you can’t find the original source, you can instead cite it indirectly .

Often, incorporating a quote smoothly into your text requires you to make some changes to the original text. It’s fine to do this, as long as you clearly mark the changes you’ve made to the quote.

Shortening a quote

If some parts of a passage are redundant or irrelevant, you can shorten the quote by removing words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis (…). Put a space before and after the ellipsis.

Be careful that removing the words doesn’t change the meaning. The ellipsis indicates that some text has been removed, but the shortened quote should still accurately represent the author’s point.

Altering a quote

You can add or replace words in a quote when necessary. This might be because the original text doesn’t fit grammatically with your sentence (e.g., it’s in a different verb tense), or because extra information is needed to clarify the quote’s meaning.

Use brackets to distinguish words that you have added from words that were present in the original text.

The Latin term “ sic ” is used to indicate a (factual or grammatical) mistake in a quotation. It shows the reader that the mistake is from the quoted material, not a typo of your own.

In some cases, it can be useful to italicize part of a quotation to add emphasis, showing the reader that this is the key part to pay attention to. Use the phrase “emphasis added” to show that the italics were not part of the original text.

You usually don’t need to use brackets to indicate minor changes to punctuation or capitalization made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

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If you quote more than a few lines from a source, you must format it as a block quote . Instead of using quotation marks, you set the quote on a new line and indent it so that it forms a separate block of text.

Block quotes are cited just like regular quotes, except that if the quote ends with a period, the citation appears after the period.

To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then on for a mile or more. (16)

Avoid relying too heavily on quotes in academic writing . To integrate a source , it’s often best to paraphrase , which means putting the passage in your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quoting is more appropriate.

When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in literary analysis ), it’s necessary to quote so that the reader can see the exact passage you are referring to.

When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible.

But if a passage does a great job at expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase without changing the meaning or losing the weakening the idea’s impact, it’s worth quoting directly.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

In academic writing , there are three main situations where quoting is the best choice:

• To analyze the author’s language (e.g., in a literary analysis essay )
• To give evidence from primary sources
• To accurately present a precise definition or argument

Don’t overuse quotes; your own voice should be dominant. If you just want to provide information from a source, it’s usually better to paraphrase or summarize .

Every time you quote a source , you must include a correctly formatted in-text citation . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style .

For example, a direct quote in APA is cited like this: “This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

Every in-text citation should also correspond to a full reference at the end of your paper.

A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks , you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words.

The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:

• APA block quotes are 40 words or longer.
• MLA block quotes are more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry.
• Chicago block quotes are longer than 100 words.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

• APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
• MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative , you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative , you may need to quote from the data you collected .

As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.

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How to Separate Lines in Poems When Quoting for Essays

Poets often create line breaks midsentence to create an effect either visually or emotionally. When you quote a poem within an essay, you should make every effort to maintain these line breaks, preserving the integrity of the poem.

Short Quotation

When you quote three consecutive lines or fewer in a poem, you should use a backslash to show the line break. For example, in Mary Oliver’s poem, you would quote the first three lines as “The female, and the two chicks,/each no bigger than my thumb,/scattered.” Place quotation marks around the lines, and, if using the MLA or Chicago style when writing, leave a space before and after the backslash. Associated Press style uses the slash but does not use a space before and after it.

Long Quotation

If you quote four or more lines of a poem, you will need to use a block quote. This means you will introduce the poem and then, on the next line, indent 10 spaces from the left margin. Copy the lines of the poem exactly. You do not need to use quotation marks or backslashes. When you have included the last line of the poem, go to the next line to continue the essay.

• Prentice Hall Reference Guide; Muriel Harris
• Poetry Foundation: Hummingbirds
• The Chicago Manual of Style, Sixteenth Edition

Kate Beck started writing for online publications in 2005. She worked as a certified ophthalmic technician for 10 years before returning to school to earn a Masters of Fine Arts degree in writing. Beck is currently putting the finishing touches on a novel.

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Poetry of Rule Breaker Investing

Join us for a whimsical and thought-provoking journey into the art of investing, with a nod to the enduring impact of classic literature.

In this podcast kicking off our seventh annual Authors in August series, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner pivots to a special "Poetry of Rule Breaker Investing" episode.

We've got a selection of eight original poems from fellow Fools inspired by market movements, Rule Breaker principles, and financial freedom, plus a surprise world-premiere musical tribute!

To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . To get started investing, check out our quick-start guide to investing in stocks . A full transcript follows the video.

This video was recorded on August 07, 2024.

David Gardner: Of Arms and the man I sing. Question Number 1, what epic poem translated into English begins with that line? Well, if you answered Virgil's Aeneid, give yourself a golden Jester cap. Question Number 2, what epic podcast begins, Of investing and the Fools, I sing. Well, if you answer this one, this week, give yourself sure, a sparkly unicorn horn of investing and the Fools I sing only on this week's Rule Breaker Investing.

This week kicks off our seventh annual Authors in August series on Rule Breaker Investing with a special surprise. It's a surprise because I'd planned this week to be interviewing philosopher of games, Thi Nguyen, author of the book Games Agency As Art. But unfortunately, Thi had to cancel for this week. We will talk to him a few weeks hence. Which left a void in my August schedule. That's the surprise part, but it's also a special surprise because I'd wanted to do a poetry of Rule Breaker Investing special for years now. This plan B moment opens up that opportunity. Much fine original poetry has appeared on Rule Breaker Investing now in our tenth year of a new podcast every week. Many poems, in fact, far more than I could fit in one podcast, but how about a selection of them? Especially timed, I would say, coincidentally, but now intentionally, especially timed with a market sell off. That feels like this podcast was meant to be of Arms, and The Man I Sing, wrote Virgil. Well, this week of Investing and the Fools, I sing and sing. I won't actually do that to you, but I get to sing the praises of numerous Fools who made these contributions over time, since poetry is with Virgil singing, so yeah, of investing and the Fools, I sing this special week to kick off authors in August. Now, a reminder next week, we will have John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods Market and his wonderful book debuting earlier this year, The Whole Story. John and I will talk about well, his life, but particularly his business life, some of his investing life, certainly his personal life too. I'm nearly finished the book, and it is a doozy. John Mackey next week. Then the week after Stanford neuroscientist, David Eagleman, whom I can't wait to introduce you to if you'd not come across David before, and his book Sum as in S-U-M, Sum, a ripping, good short read if you're looking for a beach book this month. But now without further ado of investing and the Fools, I sing. Poem Number 1. Five years ago, Ben Golland, @BenGolland, G-O-L-L-A-N-D on Twitter, X, wrote, Dear David, I was inspired today after listening to your 2018 year end podcast to Pen My Own poem. Ben writes, heavily inspired by Brian Bilston's famous poem, Refugees. This is my own titled Fool. I hope you enjoy it. I'm just going to read Ben's poem. It's fairly short. It's very well done. Here we go. It's entitled Fool. But on a side note here in 2024, I want to ask you, as you hear this, have you heard any of these kinds of lines in the past week or so? Here's Ben's poem. The market is crashing, so do not tell me, suffer a Fool gladly. We need to see this for what it really is. Sell, double down, get out. This is no time to let winners run high. Add up. Take the long view. We should think short term. We cannot find top dogs, find sustainable advantages, find good management. Instead, let us try and time the market. It's not correct to say these are people just like us. Investing is for the professionals. Do not be so stupid to think that you can beat the market. That was Fool by Ben Golland. Now, I'm sure some long time listeners are thinking, What was Ben thinking? Why did David just read that poem? It seems to go against everything that I stand for, and that we believe here at the Motley Fool and Rule Breaker Investing. Now, Ben is from London. Maybe he doesn't really understand this podcast very well. In fact, it inspired me to look up the poem that he was referring to back then, that's Brian Bilston's famous poem Refugees. It was then that I started to figure out what was going on here.

Now, I know some of you already know Brian Bilston's Refugees poem, which was published, I think, on Twitter, back in the day, as Brian Bilston was sometimes called the Poet Laureate of Twitter. Anyway, at the bottom of Brian's poem Refugees, you can look this up. I'm not going to share it. But the last line of his poem reads in parentheses, now read from bottom to top. When you read his poem, Refugees that way, it reads very differently. Now let me do that for our friend Ben Golland's poem, Fool. Because at the bottom, Ben wrote, now read from bottom to top, so here comes Fool the other way. Remember the last line? He wrote, do not be so stupid to think that you can beat the market. Well, you can beat the market was the last line. That's now the first line of this rendition reading from bottom to top. Let's go. You can beat the market. Do not be so stupid to think that investing is for the professionals. These are people just like us. It is not correct to say time the market. Instead, let us try and find good management. Find sustainable advantages. Find top dogs. We cannot think short term. We should take the long view, add up. Let winners run high. This is no time to get out, double down, sell. We need to see this for what it really is. Suffer a Fool gladly, so do not tell me the market is crashing. To that, I say, well done, Ben and thank you for sharing that. Poem Number 1. Side note before poem Number 2, on the January 30th, 2019 mail bag when I first read Ben's poem, he wrote in separately with a little bit of his own story, and I shared that as a separate mailbag point. Here's a portion. He wrote, during my second year of university. I realized I wanted my money to work as hard as I thought that I was. I reached out to a friend's father for some help in starting to navigate the investing world as I knew he did something related. Well, it was my luck. That man was David Kuo. Some of you will know and remember, David Kuo, but David Kuo was then the CEO of Motley Fool Singapore, which no longer exists as a separate entity. Anyway, Ben goes on, David was working in London, and sent me starter books on investing links to the Fool website and offered me work experience. In fact, the two weeks I spent at Fool UK, presumably as an intern, were two of the most important weeks of my life. The team helped me understand what it was to be an investor, a part owner in a business, how to build a portfolio. Most importantly, Ben writes, gave me the confidence to act. That was seven years ago, which, by the way, is now 12 years ago. I was even a guest on David Kuo's podcast.

For that week. David ended our podcast with a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." Ben closes, that's how I felt at the time and continue to feel to this day, thanks to you, David Kuo and the Fool for stretching my mind. Well, thank you, Ben, again for your poem and your story and a shout out to longtime Fool David Kuo for one of so many acts of guidance and kindness on behalf of many Foolish investors. All right on to poem Number 2. The years 2020-2021 provided by far, the most short term volatility I have ever experienced in my adult investing years. Nothing like how August has started for the stock market. In October of the year 2020, fellow Fool John Flood wrote in saying at the time, and I quote, "I had the immense pleasure of visiting Fool HQ back in October 2008, a time of market gloom and opportunity boom, if you had the nerve," John wrote, "Thanks to several conversations that day, I sold nothing. Dipped my toe into four battered, but still brilliant businesses. These were some of the best decisions of my financial life. You made me both smarter and richer with a few deft strokes that day. I love your podcast for its subject variety, the constant sense of learning, your unflinching enthusiasm, your equally engaging guests. I also want to say," John, wrote, "that I really appreciate when you qualify a statement with, here in the United States, as you often do. You acknowledge that there's a big world out there, and many of us are listening. I'm originally from Ireland," John wrote, "but have been living in Switzerland for many years, a country where the tax rate on share capital gains is a big fat, and very lovely zero." Not a bad advertisement for the country of Switzerland, John. "Like your podcasts," he concluded, "I hope to finish this note with a flourish. Below, I've described my road to Foolishness and some of the core tenets of the Motley Fool in a short poem. I've taken a slight liberty with your surname, which I hope you'll enjoy. A huge thanks to you, Tom and the 400 odd Fools making the Motley fool the model company it is today fool on John Flood."

Well, John, I am honored to read your poetry again here on this week's podcast as poem Number 2. Here it is Becoming a Fool by John Flood. It always begins with an inhibiting doubt. I could never invest with success or with clout. The market is only for pros, in the no, not for me, a mere ordinary Joe. Leave it to the experts. Hand over your cash. They talk with conviction. They cut a fine dash. At Christmas, they send you a card, a small gift as your investments lag the market in a downward drift. This cannot go on. This financial scam. It's time to wake up, tell those posers to scram. But who to turn to? Who can I trust? What was presented as gold turned out to be rust. The solution is to buy individual shares led by a company who both guides and cares. Their three stated aims to make you smarter, happier, and richer, complete their charter. This is very kind, John. Take center stage, the Motley Fool. Two brothers indifferent to the current cool. In for the long haul, not today or tomorrow, using money, you neither need nor borrow. Gardner by name and boy, can they sow the seeds to sustainable portfolio wealth, finding companies disrupting the status quo. No magic formula, no slithery stealth, winners win. Seems an obvious fact, but here's the rule breaking contrarian act. You buy. You love the spectacular rise, yet in order to win the ultimate prize, you must buy and buy some more. The sell refrain, you resolutely ignore. The market falls fast, makes the legs feel weak. Don't sell in a hurry. Be steadfast, not meek. Doing nothing seems reckless. While panic holds sway, the market will recover and sellers cry in dismay. The index curve from left to right, over 100 years and upward slope. Where are those drops, those times of fright. Only visible under a microscope. If you're still unsure, watching from the side, take that first step, you'll soon find your stride at fool.com. Helping guidance await. It's time you took control of your financial fate. That was becoming a fool by John Flood. It's a little bit shameless of me to read. I'm very conscious. It sounds like product placement. I apologize for that. But what I most treasure are the good words of good people. That's really what I'm after in this world and trying to raise up everything around me, and John Flood, boy, is it a delight to have your kind words. Thank you. A pleasure to read that once again. Let's move on to poem Number 3. Long time Fool Kurt Ilia has written in many times to our mailbags. One of those times Kurt wrote in to Share to reflect upon his favorite poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Now, to be clear, poem Number 3 this week is the only one written by a famous poet. This is not by a fellow Fool writing in, but after I read Longfellow's poem, I really want to share with you Kurt's thoughts about the poem as applied to Rule Breaker Investing. I like to think Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is nodding his Fool head somewhere as we read his poem, and inspire you with Kurt's thoughts. I should mention, by the way that Longfellow, who lived from 1807-1882 is considered by many as one of America's earliest celebrities.

His poetry was so popular that he was the most popular poet of his time, and because poetry was a much bigger thing in the 19th century, I think it's fair to say that in the 21st century, Longfellow had a huge relative following, think Taylor Swift, or maybe Missy Elliot. Here is a Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A Psalm of Life. Tell me not in mournful numbers, life is but an empty dream for the soul is dead that slumbers and things are not what they seem. Life is real. Life is earnest, and the grave is not its goal. Dust thou art to dust returnest was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment and not sorrow is our destined end or way, but to act that each tomorrow find us farther than today. Art is long, and time is fleeting, and our hearts, those stout and brave, still like muffled drums are beating funeral marches to the grave in the world's broad field of battle in the bivouac of life be not like dumb driven cattle, be a hero in the strife, trust no future, however pleasant. Let the dead past bury its dead. Act. Act in the living present, heart within and God o'erhead. Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and departing leave behind us footprints on the sands of time. Footprints, that perhaps another sailing o'er life's solemn main, a forlorn and shipwrecked brother, seeing shall take heart again. Let us then be up and doing with a heart for any fate, still achieving, still pursuing, learn to labor and to wait. Again, that's the Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

And here are Curt Iles's foolish thoughts. He wrote, dear, David. As I was walking along the beach here in Topsail, North Carolina this morning on a family vacation, one of my favorite poems came to mind, and as I recited it to the waves and the seagulls, it occurred to me, Curt says, that in addition to the timeless lessons it contains on life, a few of its passages are also strikingly meaningful from an investing perspective. Given your background as an English major and your foolish tendency to apply literary wisdom to your investing philosophy, I thought you might enjoy examining this classic from this new point of view. Here are a few passages that Curt calls out as speaking to his inner investor. Number one is the phrase, things are not what they seem. Curt writes, when stock prices rise or crash violently, it doesn't mean the companies they represent are really worth more or less than they were the day before, stay focused on the business. Dido, the hyperbolic quotes, opinion and analyses offered by Pundits on CNBC or Bares or wherever ignore a lot of the noise. The second passage he calls out is that great line, be not like dumb driven cattle. That one jumped out to me as well Curt. Curt writes, be a hero in the strife. Don't follow the herd. Most people, including professional fund managers lose to the market. Don't do what most people do or try to follow conventional wisdom, rather break the rules and think for yourself. The third line he calls out, trust no future, however pleasant. Curt says, the big, comfortable, profitable companies of today will not exist in the future if they don't proactively change. The only certainty is that new disruptive technologies and business models will make the future look different from today in ways we can't even imagine. The market is forward-looking, we must be too. To that, I say, Amen, Curt. Love it. Thank you.

Point number four, there are, by the way, three more here. Point number four, let the dead past bury its dead. Curt, you said, don't learn too well the lessons of your past investing failures, and certainly don't dwell on them. Whatever a stock has done in the past, you need to let that go and focus on what it's going to do in the future. Number five, that line, lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime. Curt says, there are so many heroes out there to inspire us, not just remind us that it's possible to beat the market, but also to see the better world we can create for ourselves, our families, and the world with the resources that a lifetime of investing will put at our disposal. Again, I say, Amen, brother. Number six, Curt you close with, and the poem does too, learn to labor and to wait. That Longfellow's line. Curt says, work hard, save your money, invest in great companies, and then be patient. Time is our greatest asset. Well, that line learned to labor and to wait, also jumped out to me because I think so often in life we think that we're going to be rewarded for efforts that we make, and rightly so in so many contexts in life. The more you do, the better you often do.

But so many of the biggest mistakes that we make as investors, especially when we look backward briefly and count the money we could have made had we not done what we did. Generally, had we not sold too early. How many friends do I say who had Apple at some point? It might have been the 1980s, the 1990s, or the Outs, and if they just, they say to themselves, held on, or maybe you sold Netflix during the Quikster debacle of 2011. Now 13 years ago. We've all made mistakes like this. We make those mistakes, but then we realize, I hope in retrospect, had we just with Longfellow waited, how much better things might have been? Well, to close, thanks again, Curt. It was my pleasure to share both Longfellow's poem and your very foolish reflections pulled from that poem. You closed your note by saying, I hope these passages resonate with all of us as much as they did with me. Well, thank you, Curt. One of the things I love about every one of our monthly mailbags is it's not my wisdom. It's so often yours. My fellow listeners, my fellow Fools, getting to show that off once a month, or in the case of investing in the Fools I sing a special surprise podcast this week. It just shows so much great insight among our community, and I certainly selfishly benefit from that as much as anybody else. On to poem number four. This is the only one that's mine, and there's a little backstory that I want to share with you. First of all, let me say it's slam poetry. For anybody who's ever been to a poetry slam, I've been to one too, just one. The one that I happened to have attended was at the Conscious Capitalism CEO Summit some years back. The person who was coaching us is a famous slam poet. His actual name is Adam Schmalholz but his stage name is IN-Q, as in I-N, hyphen, Q. I'm going to share with you in just a sec what he said to us to inspire us to write a slam poem that day, which I will shortly be sharing. But before I do that, I want to give you a hot tip. If you want to be inspired, if you want to spend three, maybe four minutes, sometime before summer ends here on YouTube, and be maybe a little bit blown away, maybe with a loved one or your family around. I would highly recommend that you just Google IN-Q YouTube.

There you'll find yourself on a YouTube page with some of the work that Adams put up on YouTube, three, four-minute videos. Two, in particular. I want to call out one, it's called A Poem About Saying Yes. The second is entitled, The Only Reason We're Alive. What did IN-Q say to us that day? We had about 20 minutes at this basically corporate offsite conference to write a poem. But just before, he said this, he said, here's the thing. When you write your poem, you're going to have 20 minutes, and I want you to think about a time where you walked through a door, something happened, and when you walked back through that door you were changed forever. He said it's not going to be something that probably happened at the office. It could be, but think a little bit bigger. Think outside of your normal space. I want to share with you my short poetry slam about a door that I once went through, and when I came back through that door, I emerged changed forever. It's called Why Did Everything Stop That Day. Because it did. Why did everything stop that day? In a way, I could say that never. No way had something like this happened before to me, what is more, I was sure that it would happen again. When? I didn't know, but it did. Everything stopped that day.

My way of doing what I did before, selfishness stopped. Well, some of it, and that was good, as was some of my ambition stopped, stopping, dropping to a point where something in me said, I don't care. I don't care about the where of where we live. I don't care about the who of who you'll be. You'll be you, and that is enough for me. Stopped worrying when you'll talk or walk or balk at a boy. Your first word, your first step, your first day. Because everything stopped the day you were born, daughter, and now everything starts. Not a bad experience that poetry slam session. Sometimes I wonder how much better we could have done if we spent more time at it. Twenty five minutes, but then I think, maybe poetry that comes fast and furious is the whole idea of a poetry slam. Thanks again to IN-Q. I highly recommend those YouTube videos. And a shout-out to my beautiful daughter who turned 30 this year and continues to earn my admiration for plunging herself into all her activities and always thinking how to raise people up around her. Onto poem number five. Like poem number three, this isn't exactly a listener's poem. Number three was Longfellow with Curt thinking about it. Number five, a horse of a different color here. I am absolutely delighted to share with you the global debut of a 10.5-second musical clip, which I liken to a poem. Speaking of investing in the Fools I sing, Erick Devore, longtime Motley Fool member, rule breaker, investor, Erick, who also writes music for film, TV, and games, he and I had this exchange a few weeks back when we did the rovua palooza ultima on this podcast. I said over six years, I picked 35 stock samplers on this podcast. Each was tracked annually. We closed them out at the three year mark. Landmark episode coming today, and it was that 35 stock samplers in 10.5 chapters. I did a few weeks back. Reacting to that on July 10th, on Twitter X, at Erick Devore.

By the way, Erick is spelled with a K on the end, and Devore, D-E-V-O-R, has an E on the end. At Erick Devore wrote, really looking forward to this one. Chief can't wait to dive in, and I said, thanks, Erick. Should it inspire a 10-second jingle, we'll play it on the podcast. And he said something like, there goes my afternoon, and later he said, check your email. Here we have, Erick has entitled it [inaudible]. Now, [inaudible] is where each of those 35 stock baskets, those samplers ascended as they tied out after three years of tracking. Many of them winning, some of them losing, and overall, we beat the pants off the market over six years. So I thought, could there be an epic short piece of music that we can now play in celebration of that? And in retrospect, I sure wish I'd asked Erick years ago to do this, so we could have played it every time we rocked [inaudible] but here is Erick's [inaudible]; and I should mention, a couple of fun music theory-related Easter eggs, he points out, the harmonic progression here is 141, that's GCG, so we go to the four chords. There are synths medals, percussion, guitars, strings, brass, and choir playing, or seven families of instruments throughout, and there are only two primary movements in the sequence round trips, so two chord changes. Why did Erick point out those three things, four, seven, and two? Because, as it turns out, that was our 472nd weekly podcast. Erick was honoring that. Again, there's a lot of math and music, so he gets this by lacing that into [inaudible] Could I hype this up anymore? I should probably stop. Here we go. Get ready. Buckle your seat belt. [inaudible] is poem number five of Investing in the Fools I sing. Wow, I wish we'd had that and played that all the way through this podcast over the years. Erick, if you are indeed signing rights over to us, can we share them with you? We'll replay it, I'm sure from time to time, what a delight it was. By the way, to meet you for the first time in person at Fool Fest a few weeks ago. In fact, I'm going to tweet out my picture, my selfie with Erick, both of us all smiles, having a great time. I would be remiss if I didn't mention again, Erick, and how you can reach him. If you're interested in music for your film, your TV, or your video game, I've enjoyed his stuff in all of those, especially video games www.erickdevore, that's E-R-I-C-K D-E-V-O-R-E.

If you do end up working in some capacity with Erick, you won't just be working with a very talented musician, but a wonderful man and a F, Fool. Fool on Erick. Thank you. All right on to poem number 6. This one from Eugene Ng, who is writing in November of 2020 from Singapore. Eugene, a longtime Motley Fool member. He wrote, my favorite quote of yours is, "Make your portfolio reflect your best vision for our future." Before I go on with Eugene's note, let me just say that within a year or two, I ended up making that the principle number 1 of the Rule Breaker portfolio. There are six principles to a Rule Breaker portfolio. You can go back and listen to that podcast or google it. In my experience, most people don't have much coaching on how to build and maintain a portfolio. The number one question most frequently asked in this podcast over the years, which I would say is the wrong question, in a sense, gives a way that many of us do need more coaching, because the most frequently asked question, I think Eugene, you know, and remember this is, how many stocks should I have in my portfolio? On the face of it, a very understandable question, but ultimately a question that has no single obvious answer. We get into that more in our six portfolio principles for the Rule Breaker portfolio. Back to Eugene's note, where he's rocking, what I think is the most important principle number 1, as he just wrote, make your portfolio reflect your best vision for our future. Eugene went on. Your quote, in your philosophy on vision truly means so much to me that I've decided to incorporate it in everything I do when it comes to investing. That includes my investing philosophy, which I call vision investing, and the name of my fund, which is Vision Capital. It's mission to invest in companies that reflect the best vision for our future. He went on to say, here's a poem that I've penned, and I should say before sharing this, this is very attractively set down on paper.

Once I read it, you'll understand why. But I will also mention, this is not a poem that rhymes. Robert Frost sometimes criticized poems that didn't rhyme, blank verse, if you will, he said, it's like playing tennis without a net. I do appreciate some good rhymes in my own poetry. I also recognize the strength of words well put together, and in many cases, repeating and creating a cadence, which is what you do here with this poem, Eugene, thank you for it. It is called Investing in our vision, and here it is.

Find excellence, buy excellence, hold excellence, add to excellence, sell mediocrity. Think probabilities, not certainties. Think possibilities, not certainties. Think payoffs, not price targets. Prefer growth, not declining. Prefer growth, not struggling. Prefer growth, not turnarounds. Seek rising revenues, not rising price. Seek rising earnings, not rising price. Seek rising cash flows, not rising price. Choose quality, not value. Choose quality, not price. Choose quality, not others opinions. Find, don't wait. Research, don't wait. Buy, don't wait. Buy, don't sell. Hold, don't sell. Add, don't sell. Your own research, not others. Your own views, not others. Your own conviction, not others. Your own buy, not others. Your own cell, not others. Your own miss, not others. Be optimistic, not pessimistic. Be present, not looking back. Be forward looking, for we are here. Now, invest in the world, invest in the future, invest for the better. Invest in your vision. Well, I don't think I need to tell you to stay Foolish, Eugene, because I'm pretty sure you very much are. Fool on, my friend. On to poem number 7. I'm not sure anybody has sent more poetry into this podcast over the years than Lisa John Wharton. Lisa has sent an acrostic. That's one of those poems where if you read the first letter of each line, it spells something going down vertically, and it spelled Motley Fool. She also sent in a sonnet at one point. I don't have time for them all, but I will read this one, which she submitted just last December on our year end mailbag, December 2023. It's a joy to share it. Here we go. Dear Motley Fool. Gratitude fills me a gainful year in review. Emotionally and financially, blessings anew. Books, the architects of my growing smarts. Games, weaving joy. Crafting, happy hearts. Ninety percent richer, my portfolio sings. Market gains dance on wealth wings. Eight countries explored, a global feat. Conferences embraced where knowledge and ideas meet. Penned another chapter, a book brought to birth, living a life envisioned, a testament to my worth. Motley Fool, a guiding star so reliable in crafting dreams, you've made it all possible. Thanks, and let's have another great year, Lisa Wharton. Well, thank you, Lisa. I hope it has been a great year. I particularly love to hear about your travel, your writing, including what you just shared with us. Of course, sounds like you've been playing some games, you're reading, and you're investing. I would just say, wow, what a year, and congratulations. I think the best phrase of all was living a life envisioned.

As we get older, we have more and more control over our circumstances, usually, if things are playing out right, far more at the age of 50 or 60 than you would have had at the age of 15 or 16. It's inspiring to be part of a community of people living a life envisioned. James Clear points out in his book Atomic Habits that the best way to get in shape is to hang out with other people getting in shape. The best way to invest Foolishly is very likely to hang out with other Foolish investors online via this podcast, and, of course, at events like Fool Fest. The best way to live our best life is to find and spend time with others who are managing to do that with theirs. Lisa, I join with you and I can hear our 400 plus Motley Fool employees surrounding me and feeling the same as Lisa said, let's have another great year, and she was talking about 2024, but I say the same for 2025. Thanks for the poem. Onto poem number 8. Adam Nelson has distinguished himself as a hero among men. Yes, in the context of this podcast, where he revolutionized our Market Cap Game Show by rethinking how to arrange the show. That's why I consistently lionize him, no matter what he does or says on this show or in the world at large. But especially I want to remember our 100th mailbag, February of 2024 this year. If you didn't get to hear it, please listen in because you'll get to meet Adam and a bunch of other Fools speaking of a community of Fools. Adam joined us and shared a lot of wisdom. This was a poem that he wrote obviously with a nod to Shakespeare, as you'll shortly figure out. It was on the November 2021 mailbag, where Adam said, having been inspired by other poems that had previously appeared on this podcast that his 2022 resolution, I forgot to ask you about this one earlier this year, Adam, I assume you held to it. Your 2022 resolution was not to sell a single share of any stock you owned and thus embody your desired investment strategy to which you then rocked your own inner Hamlet and came up with this To Trim or Not To Trim. Again, I think this podcast is wonderfully timed with the events of the stock market, this week, especially the downside volatility many of us have experienced toward the end of July and the start of August. To Trim or Not To Trim by Adam Nelson, I think speaks for itself. Let's begin, To Trim or Not To Trim? That is the question. Whether it's nobler in the mind to suffer the dips and pullbacks that lead to outrageous fortune or to rebalance into a sea of troubled stocks and by adding to them to die, to lose sleep, no more and buy a sleep, to say we're in the heartache of choosing 1,000 obvious stocks that our flesh is heir to. It's a compounding devoutly to be wished to hold, perchance, to dream. There's the rub for in that holding.

What dreams may come when we have not sold off this immortal business? We must give pause to respect the management that gives so long a hold. For who can bear the downgrades and price target cuts of analysts in time, time that exists in quarters. Only the analysts are wrong. The proud holders must not be spoken to with contumely, the insolence of Wall Street and the spurns? Only the patient merit the worthy gains. The undiscovered stock from whose wealth, no holder returns, puzzles the market and makes us rather bear those ills of the bear market than to fly to other stocks we know not of, and enterprises of great growth and business momentum with this regard, their currents do not turn awry, and we shall not feel the need to take action. Winners win, do not trim. Thank you, Adam Nelson, for many times your contributions to this podcast, and the ones I trust, going forward. Poem number 9, closing down this surprise special to start Authors in August for Rule Breaker Investing. In fact, I've used this poem a number of times to close out the whole year on this podcast, our year end holiday podcast. I've often shared why we invest the poem to remind us why we invest. In a past essay, I once wrote. This is not the poem. This is what I wrote, the poem reacts to this. I wrote and I quote, "Here's why we invest for our children and grandchildren, because our parents and grandparents did and made our lives so much better. Because every dollar we invest supports the companies and businesses we admire. Because we love and celebrate ownership. We believe this world will be far stronger for more owners, not more renters. Because the academics are wrong. Because with Arthur O'Shaughnessy and his Ode, we are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams investing as our instrument, and making dreams come true.

Sorry, Disney , making dreams come true is a very real Motley Fool goal. I see it happen with amazing testimonials bull market or bear. I hear it every week on this podcast." That is a portion of what I wrote once in an essay. One of our online members, in fact, it's a couple of sisters who team up together. They took the screen name on the Motley Fool site, Captain Haiku, because they tended to write reflective Haiku's about investing. This is what Captain Haiku wrote a poem back to me about, why we invest? Scanning down it, it's not very long, but you can see it's one Haiku after another that may or may not be evident as I share with you this poem orally. Here we go. Why we invest? Sorry, can't truncate. Each word has import and heart, not selfish, we build. Many years gone by hard work, hard times, good times, too. Haiku needs little. Why do we invest, so that our hard work endures beyond our short years, so that our children start their journeys on a hill and see the mountain. We build battlements that endure shelter others from the worst of storms. We launch sturdy ships. We will not see the far shore, but have no regrets. We are a small part of all we set in motion. Thus, we invest. Well, to our authors in August, Ben Golland and his poem, Fool, to John Flood and becoming a Fool, to Kurt Elia, staring at Longfellow's psalm of life and pulling out of it one Foolish, investing lesson after another to me. I don't mean to thank myself. I'll just thank my daughter and my family for making everything stop that day. To Erick Devore, with an epic Foolish musical moment, our interlude right in the middle of this podcast. It makes me wonder what that whole soundtrack sounds like. To Eugene Ng, envisioning a better world for his investors in East Asia, to Lisa Wharton, living her best life and sharing it out to Adam Nelson, trimming or not trimming, who, I may say, I would choose in a classic duel over William Shakespeare himself. I just say, choose the APA, Adam. To a couple of sisters who have launched sturdy ships, though they will not see the far shore, but have no regrets. Thank you, each. Thank you, dear listener, for suffering Fools gladly. August has begun.

David Gardner has positions in Apple, Netflix, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Netflix, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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Jamie Dimon on how economic inequality fueled political polarization and what can be done

Judy Woodruff Judy Woodruff

Frank Carlson Frank Carlson

Christine Romo Christine Romo

Connor Seitchik Connor Seitchik

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From trade to diversity to immigration, many U.S. corporations are navigating a divisive political climate on a range of issues that impact their businesses. The CEO of the nation’s largest bank, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, has been speaking out about some of these. Judy Woodruff spoke with him in Bentonville, Arkansas, for her series, America at a Crossroads.

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Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Amna Nawaz:

Many U.S. corporations are navigating a divisive political climate on a range of issues that impact their businesses, from trade to diversity to immigration.

Geoff Bennett:

The CEO of the country's largest bank, Jamie Dimon of J.P. Morgan Chase, has been speaking out about it.

Judy Woodruff spoke with him in Bentonville, Arkansas, for her series America at a Crossroads.

Judy Woodruff:

Every summer for the past 14 years, Jamie Dimon has spent a week traveling through different parts of the country on his annual bus tour…

… visiting bank branches like this one opened just last year in Bentonville, Arkansas, meeting with employees and clients and asking and answering questions.

Dimon is one of the most powerful figures on Wall Street at the helm of J.P. Morgan Chase for the past 20 years. And every year, he writes a letter to shareholders outlining his top concerns, including on issues beyond his immediate role as a banker, things like education, DEI, and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

With former President Trump charging the U.S. economy is shattered, Dimon's view is striking.

Jamie Dimon, Chairman, J.P. Morgan Chase:

It is the most prosperous, most innovative, best economy the world has ever seen. This world of ours lifted billions of people out of poverty. There are negatives. We should focus on that.

But to give you some — a couple of focal points, European GDP per person was very close to ours something like 20 years ago. It's now like 65 percent of ours. So, when you compare us to the rest of the Western world, quite good. And we need to continue to do that. And I think we could continue to do that.

You wrote in your letter to shareholders in the spring about our, you called it, polarized electorate.

And you said we need to find ways to put aside our differences. Why do we find ourselves in this situation?

Jamie Dimon:

I will give you my theory and a bunch of things that caused it.

We had this financial crisis that hurt a lot of people, discredited a lot of Wall Street, and that, I think was part of it. If you look at the income levels in America, we had very slow growth for 20 years. And then if you look at the bottom 20 percent, they didn't have a pay increase for 20 or 30 years, OK? So, and those are people making less than $20 an hour.

They also have worse health, less insurance. They're dying 10 years younger, but their schools are failing in a lot of cases, rural schools or inner-city high schools, not all of them. But a lot of them, 50 percent of the kids don't graduate. So the equal opportunity wasn't there. Income isn't there. Hope isn't there. Health wasn't there.

All of us should look at that and say, what should we do to lift up society? Then I also think there's that, and then there's also this constant degrading of fellow Americans because of what they believe. They don't believe what you believe, they're bad people, they're immoral people.

I think we should stop insulting each other.

Dimon recently wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post aimed at the next American president, stressing the need for national unity and equal opportunity for all, warning that the American dream is disappearing for many because opportunity is not shared equally.

And so what's the solution?

I will give you a bunch right here.

Earned Income Tax Credit, OK? Right now, if you're a single mother with two children making $14,000 a year, the government gives you $6,000. A lot of people don't avail themselves of this because they may not know about it. I would get rid of the child requirement. I would make the benefit $10,000, so that anyone working would make $24,000.

That money would go to the families. It would go into their communities. It would be spent the way they think it should be spent without government interference. I think it'd be exceptional. And jobs create dignity. So you incent jobs, jobs create dignity, jobs create better outcomes for families, less crime, less drugs, and you would incent people back in the work force.

If I was the federal government, I would tell every high school — I'd start in the high schools and community colleges — that we want to measure you on the outcomes. How many kids get jobs making $40,000, $50,000, $60,000, $70,000? And that would incent them to, locally, what do we need to get jobs, coding, automotive, aviation, program management, financial management, compliance?

It is doable, because I can point out tons of schools and tons of communities that actually do something like that.

We talked about income disparities, how people in the top 1 percent of income brackets earn over 100 times more than those in the bottom 20 percent.

Some people are going to listen to what you're saying and have the view that the big financial powerhouses in this country have played a role in continuing and exacerbating our divide.

What role has the private sector played and the financial sector played in creating this inequality that we live in right now?

I think there — obviously, there are good companies and bad companies and good politicians and bad politicians.

And are there examples where they are the ones who made it worse in some cases? Sure. Have they abused their position or regulated — sure. Has something taken place? But most of the banks I know have special programs for minority mortgages, vets. We have programs to hire disabled.

And all these things work. So a lot of companies, they try to do their part. They can't do the part that government needs to do. We can help. And when you get — there are examples where I call up CEOs and I tell them they should be embarrassed about what they did. So there is truth that they aren't always perfect.

I think a lot of companies, when they go to Washington, D.C., they should worry more about what's good for the country than what's good for their company. That's true for a lot of special interest groups.

But I have to be very clear. It's not enough, if the federal government doesn't do its part, because you're really push — sometimes, you're pushing the rock uphill.

And how do you get the federal government to do that…

You got to…

(Crosstalk)

… When the two parties are at each other's throats on so many issues right now?

Yes, but they came together for the infrastructure bill. They come together for certain things.

And that is work. I mean, that is hard work, but I tell people don't get frustrated. Just do it. There are a lot of parts of my job I don't like either, but I have to do them.

You — in your column, you also — you talked about reducing the debt. You talked about encouraging investment, which you just referred to, lowering inequality, strengthening the military.

How do you do all that and bring the debt down?

I think it's doable. I would spend the money that helped make it a better country.

So, some of it is infrastructure, Earned Income Tax Credits, military. I would have a competitive international tax system. And then there might — and then I would maximize growth. And, remember, growth isn't just about all that. It's also about faster permitting.

And then you will have a little bit of deficit. And you would maybe just raise taxes a little bit, like the Warren Buffett type of rule. I would do that. And we would be fine.

The Buffett rule states that no household earning over $1 million should pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than middle-class families.

We are in the middle of a presidential campaign. Do you think, because of that, things could get worse, or could they get better? What do you think?

Well, I'm hoping not.

I — look, I don't know. And I hope both presidential candidates realize that jazzing up and making the American people angry is not a good thing to do.

And yet that language persists on the campaign trail.

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), Vice Presidential Candidate: You know it. You feel it. These guys are creepy and, yes, just weird as hell. That's what you see.

Gov. Tim Walz:

That's what you see.

But much of the vitriol is coming from Donald Trump.

Donald Trump, Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: So now we have a new victim to defeat, lyin' Kamala Harris, lyin', L-Y-I-N apostrophe.

Do you think it's time for people like you to say to him and to others, let's stop this?

I don't like any of that stuff. I'm not going to talk about particular people. I personally don't like it. And I don't think it works.

And I think when you — even use the term MAGA, you're insulting 74 million voters. But they have different views and different opinions. But if you look, just take a step back. Be honest. He's kind of right about NATO, kind of right about immigration.

Early this year, in an interview with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Dimon says he was trying to make that point when he lauded some of Trump's policies on immigration, China and NATO.

And that's why they're voting for him.

Some took that as a signal of support for Trump, but Dimon says it was a warning to Democrats.

I think this — this negative talk about MAGA is going to hurt Biden's election campaign.

I blame myself. I didn't say it artfully. But I was making the same point that I made in my op-ed, that 74 million people voted Republican and they voted because they thought that there was partial truth that immigration was a problem, which I agree with, that China was a problem, which I agree with, that NATO was a problem.

Not leaving NATO. I don't want to leave NATO. I'm a strong supporter of NATO and our military allies. But I said he's right about — partially about NATO. I should have said partially about the funding of NATO. I was only making a point that people are voting for different reasons, and that we — they should stop insulting MAGA.

In his April letter to shareholders, Dimon called for strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as many DEI policies are on the chopping block in more than 30 states and as other corporations pull back.

I mean, you're saying all this at a time when we're hearing a lot of ugly language about DEI, people — that's a — that's become a pejorative term.

I don't think most people are against when you say diversity, reaching out to different communities and doing a better job. And the word equity means equal opportunity.

If you mean the word equity means equal outcomes, I'm against that too. That simply won't work. And so I understand the pushback. When it comes to all of these things, J.P. Morgan, we know we want to do. We do it our way. We think about it. We're human beings. We take care of our people. We take care of our communities.

We're going to try to help lift up parts of society. And most of that's for profit, just like a lot of the companies, they also sell goods and services to low-income people too.

As for the major party presidential nominees, Dimon knows them both. In 2012, he engaged in tense negotiations with then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris over a multibillion-dollar settlement related to homeowners hurt by predatory lenders, including J.P. Morgan Chase.

More recently, former President Trump suggested Dimon could serve as his Treasury secretary in his next administration, but then quickly dispelled that idea.

Whomever wins in November, Dimon says he's hopeful the country will find a way forward.

Given all this, I mean, given this polarized atmosphere, can the United States move ahead on the great challenges facing this country in this next administration?

I believe it will and that some — it may — it will be a president or a leader or someone else who just — kind of just bends that curve a little bit, and does it respectfully.

Remember, Abe Lincoln — I think it was one of those famous quotes where Abe Lincoln said — someone said: "Mr. Lincoln, God's on our side."

And he said: "No, son, let's hope we're on God's side."

There was a little humility within Abe Lincoln, one of our greatest presidents. And so things come along where people change. And it might be the leader — it might be a leader himself who changes. They realize that they're going the wrong direction, and they have to go in a different direction.

And so let's all hope. I'm an optimist by nature. And I think, when Warren Buffett talks about the great resiliency of America, I believe that. Something will change it somewhere. And, sometimes, you have to go through difficult times to do it.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Judy Woodruff in Bentonville, Arkansas.

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Judy Woodruff is a senior correspondent and the former anchor and managing editor of the PBS News Hour. She has covered politics and other news for five decades at NBC, CNN and PBS.

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