Kristeva's term highlights that texts are not isolated. In poetry, intertextuality appears through allusions, echoes, or direct quotations of previous works. It enriches meaning by creating a dialogue across time and tradition. Poets use it to situate themselves within a literary heritage, to challenge or reinterpret past authors, and to create layered, sophisticated works that reward the reader's prior knowledge.

Intertextuality is the shaping of a text's meaning by other texts, a concept introduced by Julia Kristeva. It asserts that every text is a "mosaic of quotations" and is always engaged in a dialogue with the larger cultural text. Meaning is not self-contained but is generated through a network of relations with other works. In poetry, intertextuality is a fundamental principle, manifesting through allusion, parody, pastiche, and direct quotation. A poem that references Dante or Shakespeare is creating an intertextual relationship. For the poet, intertextuality is both a tool and a condition of writing. It allows for a rich layering of meaning, as the reader brings their knowledge of previous texts to their interpretation. It also situates the poet within a literary tradition, creating a dialogue across time.