Wikipedia:WikiProject Poetry

Notability

• All articles on poets, poetry and topics related to poetry must meet the general notability guidelines.
• The merits for inclusion of biographical articles on poets ought to be considered against the minimum criteria for biographies WP:ANYBIO and the notability guidelines for creative professionals (known as WP:AUTHOR or WP:CREATIVE); or if the poet is an academic, the notability guideline for academics measured by their academic achievements (known as WP:ACADEMIC). Articles on people who do not meet these criteria can be proposed for deletion. Articles on poets and other persons who are still living must comply with the policies regarding biographies of living persons (WP:BLP).
• Articles on poetic movements or groups must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the book itself, in considering the criteria of WP:AUTHOR and the very similar application toward bands and musicians, WP:BAND or WP:MUSBIO.
• Articles on books—be it poetry collections, anthologies, chapbooks, pamphlets, or works of literary scholarship or criticism need to be eligible for inclusion under Wikipedia:Notability (books), with special attention to the criteria listed at WP:BKCRIT.
• Articles on individual poems should be considered as we consider articles on individual songs or albums, per WP:NSONGS, in that they must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the book itself.
• If an individual poem does not meet similar notability standards, it is generally advisable to discuss any material on that individual poem in an article on the collection it was from, or at the biography article for the poet. Per the notability guideline for derivative articles, WP:BKD, "it is a general consensus on Wikipedia that articles on books should not be split and split again into ever more minutiae of detail treatment, with each split normally lowering the level of notability." This would be applicable to articles on less-than-notable individual poems—despite however beautiful or meaningful the poem may be.
• Many poetry prizes, poetry journals, literary magazines are often not notable. If a prize, journal, or magazine is to be considered notable, like other topics, must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the prize, journal, or magazine.

Article naming and title formatting

Unfortunately, Wikipedia's Manual of Style and its Naming Conventions are often in conflict or inconsistent when it comes to the naming of articles on creative works. For more information about titling articles, see: Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Article titles, Wikipedia:Article titles, Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Titles of works, Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Composition titles.

• Generally, article titles are based on what the subject is called in reliable sources. When this offers multiple possibilities, editors choose among them by considering several principles: the ideal article title resembles titles for similar articles, precisely identifies the subject, and is short, natural, and recognizable.
• In foreign names, the choice between anglicized and local spellings should follow English-language usage—settling on the usage that predominates in English language reliable sources (per WP:UE).
• If a poem, lyric or composition has a title, it is usually formatted in title case. If it is an untitled work and that poem, lyric, or composition uses the first line of text as its title, the title should be formatted in sentence case.
• If an article title is the name of a book or long poem, the title should be presented in italic text. In order to italicize the name of an article, add {{Italic title}} at the top of the article. Mentions of the poem title throughout the article should be italicized. See WP:ITALICTITLE, MOS:ITALIC.
• If an article is about a short poem or lyric, italicization is not necessary, and the title of the poem should be placed in quotation marks. Do not add quotation marks in the name of the article.
• The distinction between a short poem and a long poem is never well-defined and an editor is advised to exercise judgment. The Chicago Manual of Style (8.179) advises to place poem titles in quotation marks except for "very long poems" that could be book length which should be italicized. A good suggestion is that a poem of 80 lines or less can be considered a short poem; and poems greater than 80 to 100 lines, a long poem.

• Example (short poems): Robert Frost's "After Apple Picking" (42 lines)
• Example (long poems): Walt Whitman's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd (206 lines)

Use of infoboxes

• WikiProject Poetry does not require or prohibit the use of infoboxes. Per WP:INFOBOXUSE: The use of infoboxes is neither required nor prohibited for any article. Whether to include an infobox, which infobox to include, and which parts of the infobox to use, is determined through discussion and consensus among the editors at each individual article.
• Articles with an existing infobox that was put in by consensus, or by the article's major contributors, or (on articles that don't get much editing attention) has been in place for a while, usually ought to stay in place.
• We discourage bickering on questions of whether to use infoboxes since it leads to unnecessary edit wars and bitterness. When discussing the issue to reach a consensus, focus on the article's content improvement needs—and what best conveys that content. Neither a position of "I don't like infoboxes, period", nor one of "every article needs an infobox" is a valid rationale. The needs of properly conveying content in the article are what matter.
• Useful infoboxes for our project's articles: Template:Infobox writer, Template:Infobox poem, Template:Infobox book, Template:Infobox hymnal, Template:Infobox publisher, Template:Infobox journal, Template:Infobox award,

Citing and sourcing information

• All articles must comply with the expectations of Wikipedia's policies and guidelines on citing sources, reliable sources, and verifiability.
• While Wikipedia does not favour any particular citation style over another, scholarly writings on topics relating to literature and the humanities typically employ the MLA or Chicago citation styles, as exemplified in the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, both official publications of the Modern Language Association (MLA); or the Chicago Manual of Style as published by the University of Chicago Press.
• The use of "Harvard Style" parenthetical citations within the article text is strongly discouraged as it reduces the readability of an article and compromises the flow of the prose.
• It is not appropriate to provide analysis or interpretation of a poem that is not supported by reliable sources. Any analysis and interpretation ought to be supported by appropriate citations to relevant books, journal articles and other scholarship from established literary scholars, critics, and historians. Anything that is not appropriately sourced may be construed as original research and removed.
• Per WP:CITEVAR, "Editors should not attempt to change an article's established citation style merely on the grounds of personal preference, to make it match other articles, or without first seeking consensus for the change." We usually defer to an article's first major contributor regarding the choice of citation style, or to the format already in use at an article. This means that an article using <ref> tags or citation templates continues to use that style, unless a consensus is established to change it. If an article's citation format is inappropriate for the article, incomplete, or inconsistently used, raise the question of converting the citation style on the article's talk page and wait at least one week to allow other contributors to comment on the proposal. It is an expected courtesy to contact any major contributors to an article for their comments on the matter.

Quoting from poems and copyright issues

• Do not quote poems at length or in their entirety if the poem is still under the protection of copyright. The only exception to this is the brief quotation (only a few lines) of a copyrighted text, under fair use doctrine, if it is analyzed or used to illustrate a point, establish context, or attribute a point of view or idea. Any quotation of copyrighted text must be attributed through an appropriate citation. Any text that is copyrighted and inappropriately used may be removed immediately.
• Quoting a poem at length or in its entirety is only permissible if and only if (a) if the material is in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired; or (b) permission has been given by the copyright owner.
• For more information, see Wikipedia's policy on non-free content and the guideline for quoting song lyrics and poetry. If you have any questions, ask. If you are in doubt as to the copyright status of a work, ask.

Style for quoting from poems

• Do not italicize quoted text.
• All quotations should be cited, either with an appropriate reference tab or citation template, or with a simple parenthetical, like "(lines 31–35)" at the end of the quoted text.
• For discussion of how to format or present scansion, the rhythmic and metrical analysis of verse, see the section on Scansion below.
• If you are quoting only one line of poetry, treat it like any other short quotation.
• If you choose to quote two or three lines of poetry, most style guides advise to quote them within the structure of a sentence by separating the lines by the insertion of a forward slash. While some writers prefer to set off two-line quotations as a block quotation for emphasis, it is not advisable for Wikipedia.

  Example: "Eliot began his poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock with an unexpected simile: "Let us go then, you and I / When the evening is spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table".

• If you are quoting four or more lines of poetry, most style guides advise to indent the poem as one would a block quotation. Wikipedia has several formatting methods for block quotations (see Wikipedia:Quotations), especially the {{Poem quote}} template, which preserves line breaks and some types of white space, as well as {{Quote}} and {{Quotation}} templates, or the HTML element for blockquotes, which ought to be used with the extension element for poems within the blockquoted passage. See also the template {{Poem}}.

  The below examples compare use of the {{Poem quote}} and of the <blockquote>...</blockquote> and <poem>...</poem> HTML tags, quoting T. S. Eliot "A Song for Simeon" (1928), lines 25–30:

{{poem quote|
According to thy word.
They shall praise Thee and suffer in every generation
With glory and derision,
Light upon light, mounting the saints' stair.
Not for me the martyrdom, the ecstasy of thought and prayer,
Not for me the ultimate vision.
}}

<blockquote><poem>
According to thy word.
They shall praise Thee and suffer in every generation
With glory and derision,
Light upon light, mounting the saints' stair.
Not for me the martyrdom, the ecstasy of thought and prayer,
Not for me the ultimate vision.
</poem></blockquote>

Style for rhyme schemes

• Articles that explain the rhyme scheme used by a type of poem or a specific poem or author, should link to the article rhyme scheme, so readers who don't know what that is can find out.
• Articles that use notation to specify a rhyme scheme (e.g. ABAB) should use the same notation as Rhyme scheme § Notation and examples so readers who have questions about the notation can learn the details.
  • If the rhyme scheme being discussed in the article cannot be handled by any of the notations listed, add a new notation in a similar style to Rhyme scheme § Notation and examples, with a link back to the main article for the phenomenon (as is done for internal rhyme).
• When using mixed uppercase and lowercase, specify in the article whether capital letters represent lines repeated verbatim or if they represent masculine rhymes. (The same notation is used for two different meanings.)
• When quoting from a poem and indicating the rhyme scheme line by line, use a table to line up the letters and prevent them from wrapping in a narrow browser window. (See example at the top of rhyme scheme.)

Translations into English of non-English works

• If you are providing a translation of a poem or text, it is advisable to present the comparison between source text and translated text in two columns—the left-hand column being the source text in its original language, the right-hand column being the translation into English. A good example of its use in an article can be found in the article on Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Alternatively, {{Verse translation}} can be used to aid formatting. If the source text is in a language whose alphabetic writing system does not use Latin scripts (i.e. Arabic, Sanskrit, Greek, Chinese, etc.), use three columns if possible: The left=hand column displaying the source text in its original, non-Latin characters; the center column offering the source text in an established system of transliteration or script conversion into Latin letters, and the right-hand column offering a translation in English. If you do not know how to use columns, ask another Wikipedian for help on this WikiProject's talk page.
• It is preferred that if a translation is necessary in an article on a poem or lyrical text that an editor use a verbatim or literal translation of the source text. Many translations, especially those created before the twentieth century, are not accurate because the focus of many translations is constrained by rhyme and meter or artistic license is taken by the "translator". Earlier translators either did not give priority to accurately translating the text, or their work does not accurately represent the source text.
• We can use a translation of a poem only if the translation is (a) in the public domain, (b) its copyright has expired, or (c) permission is granted to use said translation by the copyright owner. Do not use a translation of a poem that is currently under copyright. Any texts, including translations, that are under copyright must be removed per Wikipedia:Non-free content and Wikipedia:Lyrics and poetry#License considerations
• If you are analyzing a brief excerpt or section of a poem, you may use a brief excerpt of a translation currently under copyright under a fair use rationale provided that (1) the quoted is brief (i.e., no more than a few lines) and (2) full credit to the translator is given through compliance with policies on citing sources. Lengthy excerpts do not qualify for fair use.
• If there are no free alternatives available, a user who is knowledgeable about the foreign language of the poem and confident in translating the text is encouraged to provide their own literal translation or a close-to-literal poetic translation. A basic verbatim translation does not violate the policies on original research (WP:OR) or synthesis (WP:SYNTH), and Wikipedia's policies and guidelines encourage users to provide accurate translations, see: WP:SYNNOT and WP:NOTOR#Translation and contextualizing.
• If you do choose to provide a translation of a poem for an article, please consider asking another user to check your work. Either ask another Wikipedian directly or place a message on this WikiProject's talk page.
• If you are not proficient in a foreign language, do not translate the poem. Do not use a translation from Google, Babelfish, or any other online translation service. Please contact another Wikipedian who advertises their ability in the relevant language and ask if they could provide a translation, or request a translation on this WikiProject's talk page.

External links to material under copyright

• If you find the text of a poem or a translation of a poem elsewhere on the internet it can be used in an article or provided as an external link if and only if (a) if the material is in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired; or (b) permission has been given by the copyright owner. Do not add an external link to any online source or website whose content violates the intellectual property rights of artists, poets, publishers, or other creative interests (per WP:ELNEVER)
• If a poem is currently in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired, it should be added to Wikisource.

Other considerations

• The use of logical quotations is encouraged, irrespective of any rules associated with the variety of English in use. Therefore, "place all punctuation marks inside the quotation marks if they are part of the quoted material and outside if they are not".

National poetries

Articles devoted to national poetries should be chronological in structure, beginning with the earliest known poetry from that country in question. The article should cover the principal periods and give brief information on the main poets, groups and movements in each period. Some attempt should be made to indicate factors that link and/or differentiate each period. Any important influences from other poetries should also be mentioned. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are required to bring the article to featured status.

Some assistance may be available through WikiProject Historical Information.

Examples

Well-developed articles:

• Irish poetry
• Poetry of the United States

Other priorities:

• Indian poetry

Poetry groups or movements

Articles covering poetry groups or movements should cover the main members of the group, the stated aims or poetic and any important dates or key publications in the group's history. Other poets or groups/movements that the group being discussed were influenced by or reacting against should also be mentioned, as should the general cultural context. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are required to bring the article to featured status.

Example

• Imagism

Individual poets

Articles discussing individual poets should adhere to normal Wikipedia biography conventions. The poet's early influences, associations with any groups or movements, and main publications should be mentioned, along with any later poets, groups or movements they may have strongly influenced. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are advised where the intention is to push the article to featured status.

Examples

• William Shakespeare
• W. B. Yeats
• Emily Dickinson

Individual poems

If the poem in question is quite short, it should be added to the article, per WP:L&P. If it is a long poem, it should be linked, either from WikiSource, or from another website. The text of poems which are not copyrighted should in general be placed in WikiSource.

An article on an individual poem, besides the poem itself, should describe the publication history of the poem, and the critical response to the poem. Other matters that could be covered include: the circumstances in which the poem was written, the structure and style of the poem, and references made in the poem.

Examples

• The Waste Land
• Mr Bleaney
• In Memoriam A.H.H.
• The Cantos (and List of cultural references in The Cantos)

Styles, forms, techniques, lists, general topics

Include definitions, history including dates, notable poets associated and examples where appropriate. Lists should be annotated and illustrated where appropriate. Where there are red links on a list, please consider writing stubs or longer entries. References and pictures are required to bring the article to featured status.

Examples

• Poetry
• Alliterative verse
• List of poets
• List of cultural references in The Cantos

Poetry prizes

• Forward Poetry Prize
• Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize