Students studying English need to
know how to quote verse correctly. Follow the examples below.
Quoting a Few Lines:
For short quotes of two or three
lines, use the slash (/) to indicate the end of each verse line.
Szymborska asks for forgiveness:
"Forgive me, distant wars, for bringing flowers home./Forgive
me, open wounds, for pricking my finger."
Quoting More:
For larger blocks of text (full
stanzas, particularly), set the quoted text off as a block
underneath your own writing.
Szymborska's poem, "Thank You
Note" surprises us at its beginning when she extends thanks to
people she does not love, finding a "relief," "happiness" and
"freedom" that love cannot provide.
I owe so much
to those I don’t love.
The relief as I agree
that someone else needs them more.
The happiness that I’m not
the wolf to their sheep.
The peace I feel with them,
the freedom –
love can neither give
nor take that.
Remember that students need to
quote confidently from poetry during their work in English 11 and
12. British Columbia's provincial exams require it, also.
See our most
recent tips.
Poetry:
Quoting Verse Correctly
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