Introduction
Quotation in poetry is not merely a technical gesture—it is a declaration of lineage, a whisper of reverence, and sometimes, a mirror held up to the soul of another. In a genre where cadence and context are sacred, quoting carries weight far beyond the typographic marks that frame it. It is an invitation to dialogue across time, genre, and emotional terrain.
Yet in an age of accelerated sharing, digital remixing, and blurred authorship, the question arises with renewed urgency: when does quoting become theft, and when does it become tribute?
This article does not seek to police poetic practice, but to illuminate it. It asks not only what we quote, but why, how, and with what consequences. It explores the ethics of attribution, the aesthetics of echo, and the emotional cadence of creative borrowing. For poets, scholars, and readers alike, the question is no longer whether quotation matters—but how deeply we are willing to engage with its implications.
To quote is to risk misreading, misrepresenting, or misaligning. To refrain is to risk erasure, isolation, or the loss of lineage. Between these poles lies a fertile terrain—where homage meets innovation, and poetic integrity is not a rulebook, but a living, breathing practice.
The Spectrum of Quotation
Public Domain and Cultural Touchstones
Poets like Shakespeare, Spenser, and other pre-20th-century figures offer a generous archive of public domain material. Famous lines—‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day’ or ‘A rose by any other name’—are not only legally free to use, but culturally embedded, often functioning as idioms or literary shorthand.
I. Verbatim: When Precision Preserves Cadence or Cultural Weight
Quoting existing text—poetry or prose—ideally means quoting it verbatim, including spelling and grammar. Exceptions exist, but resist the temptation to ‘correct’ well-known public domain texts. For example, Poe’s ‘some one’ in The Raven (1845) is not a mistake but a stylistic choice. My use of ‘[sic]’ highlights this, adding a layer of meta-poetic wit:
As of some one[sic] gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
Contrapuntal poems are thrilling high-wire acts of poetic architecture and ethical finesse. You’re not just weaving lines—you’re orchestrating polyphonic meaning, emotional tension, and intertextual resonance. Whether layering one poem with new lines or interlacing multiple source texts, the key is intentionality, clarity, and reverence.
Example: First Stanza from ‘The Raven and a Teddy’
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
After a day of fruitless and mindless toil
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
The newsfeeds are enough to bore one to death
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
Having a shuteye in front of the TV
As of some one[sic] gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
A hesitant knock woke me up out of slumber
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—“
“Who the h… is this,” I yelled, “this time of night—“
Only this and nothing more.
It bloody well be good.
FEEDBACK REGARDING THE ABOVE POEM
- Structure: You alternate lines from a single source poem with your own original lines.
- Effect: Creates a dialogue, echo, or counterpoint between your voice and the original.
- Ethical clarity: Easier to attribute and maintain tonal cohesion.
- Example: Poe’s ‘The Raven’ interlaced with your own meditations on grief or memory.
- Poetic licence: Using poetic licence by changing the quotation marks in the final lines, lends clarity to the piece.
II. Reimagining Quotation: Embedded Attribution
A poet may weave the identity of the original author into the poem itself, reimagining quoted lines with reverence and transformation:
The Bard compares you to a summer’s day;*
Neruda hunts for a sign of you in others.†
My heart is shaped in your hands like clay,
the fountain of which is found in mothers.
The object of Spenser’s love is like ice;‡
Byron’s heart which love of you alone can bind.**
Attribution Notes
*Sonnet 18 – William Shakespeare
†Sonnet 42 – Pablo Neruda
‡Amoretti XXX: My Love is like to ice, and I to fire – Edmund Spenser
** Sonnet on Chillon – Lord Byron
These are the opening lines from my sonnet Asymmetrical Love (2019).
III. Misquotation: When Context Is Lost or Distorted
To quote is to converse. To converse is to listen. To listen is to honour. Citation is not a shield—it’s a doorway. Step through with care.
Language, especially in poetry, is never neutral—it carries lineage, politics, and personal resonance. Citation without context becomes a hollow gesture, a veneer of respect that conceals deeper misreading.
Examples of Misrepresentation
- Quoting “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day” without acknowledging that Shakespeare’s sonnet was addressed to a young man distorts its emotional and historical frame.
- Poe’s The Raven was crafted to evoke melancholy, borrowing rhythm from Elizabeth Barrett’s Lady Geraldine’s Courtship and inspired by Dickens’ talking raven in Barnaby Rudge.
Attribution: More Than a Footnote
Best Practices
- Always name your sources—via footnote, endnote, or title.
- Titles-as-credit (e.g., The Raven and the Teddy) are elegant and sufficient when the quoted lines are unmistakable.
- Widely known lines may not require attribution if they function as cultural shorthand.
- In centos, attribution may be general: ‘This cento is composed of poem titles by Sylvia Plath, Langston Hughes, Mary Oliver, and others.’
Note on Titles Poem titles are not protected by copyright. Earlier poets’ works are often identified by their first lines (eg, ‘Who is Silvia?’ by Shakespeare).
Cento versus Collage
A cento is, by definition, a patchwork of lines or fragments from other works. It boils down to fair usage, that is to say, it is not a free for all, but must have intrinsic value which you wish to exploit in the creation of your poem.
Example:
You are my muse (poetrysoup.com)
A collage draws from your own previously written poems—juxtaposing, transforming, and re-contextualising. It’s not a revision or sequel, but a re-composition. While self-plagiarism isn’t a legal issue, transparency (e, noting it’s a repost) maintains creative integrity.
Example:
Too Much of a Good Thing: Creative Integrity & Reader Experience
Ask yourself:
- Does the reader benefit from knowing the source of each title or line?
- Does attribution enhance homage or dilute poetic effect?
- Is the poem meant to be a puzzle, a tribute, or a transformation?
Example: ‘In the Backstreets of My Mind’
Dark shadows flit in the backstreets of my mind.
A rendezvous of sounds whispers in the night:
(Your usual bright spirit I could not find)
Accusing me of that which I didn’t get right.
The unexamined life is not worth living,
But fulfilment is in the act of giving.
Poetry’s an echo of my inspiration;
I dance with the shadows in liberation.
Footnote: The dictum in line 5 in this Rispetto Lyric is popularly attributed to Socrates (c. 470–399 BC). Note: This footnote may be superfluous, as the quote is widely known. However, ensure the quote’s intention is accurately represented.
Example of Truncated Quotation
‘There are more things … likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.’ – Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC–65 AD)
Observation
- Literally: Reflections in water are darker than the object itself.
- Figuratively: Reflections on past events often appear more daunting than reality.
Example: The reflection is always a shade darker than the reality.
Cliché versus Idiom
A cliché is a word or phrase that has been overused, and in poetry, often wrong, eg ‘your eyes shine like diamonds’ (diamonds can’t shine – only reflect light). Another example in poetry is when ‘dove’ is rhymed with ’love’.
Some poetic forms embrace colloquial language, which can function as a stylistic device to evoke voice, intimacy, or regional flavour. Certain expressions (idiom) may vary from region to region; from country to country; be particular to a sector—golfers might say ‘in the rough,’ while lighting technicians speak of ‘hot spots,’ and ‘dead air’ is abhorred by TV producers. Take note that some words or phrases might be offensive to some.
An interesting development in the age of AI: Unless you alert AI to the fact that it is an idiom, it will more often than not read and interpret it in the literal sense, eg, ‘jumping the shark’. Over the centuries, language has developed and shaped itself in the mouth and minds of the listeners—many idioms have become cliché; many metaphors have become dead metaphors—phrases like ‘foot of the bed’ or ‘time is running out’—whose figurative origins are no longer felt. These sayings are in the public domain and as such are not subject to copyright or moral rights restrictions.
An example from the comment section below: ‘If the shoe fits.’ A metaphor with French origins, that became an idiom in common use—in fact, the overuse of it resulted in it now more often than not being viewed as a cliché.
How does this relate to presenting poetry on the written page? In poetry, clichés and idioms often work best without quotation marks—their familiarity invites play, not pedantry. A poetry form such as Limericks and the rhetorical device of satire thrive on clichés and idiom—why spoil the fun for the reader? It would be like explaining a joke to someone who did not get it the first time.
The dust motes dance like ill-conceived clichés in ubiquitous sunbeams. ~Su
Conclusion
To quote is to converse, not copy. It’s a bridge—not a shortcut—built with reverence, context, and care. In poetry, borrowed lines must carry earned meaning, not just borrowed beauty.
‘Quotation marks should not be used as excuses for clichés when the writer cannot think of anything more original. Clichés are bad enough in themselves without drawing attention to them.’*
A quote may be incorporated in a poem, but it is not necessary to enclose every line in a stanza in a quotation marks—it may be appended at the beginning and at the conclusion of the quoted text. Or, as with per the publisher’s style demands, it may be highlighted by presenting it in italics as I did in the following poem:
Lingering Dusk (poetrysoup.com)
Happy quills!
Su
*https://www.gsbe.co.uk/grammar-quotation-marks.html
Related article: Plagiarism versus Being Inspired By | PoetrySoup.com