How do you write the title of a poem in a sentence?

As an expert in the field of literature and writing, I've had the pleasure of working with various forms of written expression, including poetry. When it comes to writing the title of a poem within a sentence, there are a few conventions to keep in mind that can help ensure your writing is clear and adheres to standard academic practices.

Step 1: English Answer

Using Quotation Marks for Poem Titles
The first rule of thumb is to use quotation marks around the title of a poem. This is a common practice in English writing and helps to distinguish the poem from other elements of the text. Quotation marks are used for shorter works such as individual poems or songs. They are also used when you're mentioning the title within a larger body of text, such as an essay or a book.

Exception for Longer Poems
However, there is an exception to this rule. If the poem is of novel length, such as an epic poem like "Paradise Lost" by John Milton or "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri, it is customary to use italics or underline the title instead. This is because these longer works are often considered to be on the same level as a novel in terms of their scope and impact.

Parenthetical Citations
When citing a poem, especially in academic writing, it's important to include a parenthetical citation. This is a brief reference that appears in parentheses and provides information about the source of the poem. The format of the citation can vary depending on the citation style you are using. For instance, if you're using the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) formats, the citation will look slightly different.

MLA Format
In MLA format, a parenthetical citation for a poem might look like this: (Author's Last Name, Page Number). So, if you were citing a poem from a book of poetry by William Shakespeare, it would be written as (Shakespeare 12), assuming the poem appears on page 12.

APA Format
APA format, on the other hand, typically includes the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number, formatted like this: (Author's Last Name, Year, p. Page Number). For example, if you were citing the same poem by Shakespeare, it might be cited as (Shakespeare, 1609, p. 12), assuming it was published in 1609.

Integrating the Title into the Sentence
When you're writing a sentence that includes the title of a poem, it's important to integrate it smoothly. For example, you might write: "In 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,' Dylan Thomas encourages his readers to fight against the dying of the light." Here, the title of the poem is in quotation marks, and it is followed by the author's name to provide full attribution.

Capitalization Rules
Another aspect to consider is the capitalization of the title. In English, most style guides recommend capitalizing the first word of the title and any proper nouns or the first word after a colon or em dash. However, prepositions, articles, and conjunctions are usually in lowercase unless they are the first word of the title.

Consistency
Finally, it's crucial to maintain consistency throughout your writing. If you choose to use quotation marks for all poem titles, stick with that throughout your document. The same goes for italics, underlining, and citation styles.

Step 2: Divider

Put quotation marks around the poem's title unless it is a novel-length epic poem, such as "Paradise Lost" or "The Divine Comedy." In that case, italicize or underline the title. Cite the poem with a parenthetical citation if you are using MLA or APA format.Jun 13, 2017