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I am writing historical fiction.
I am contemplating my character to compose a poem that was actually composed by someone in India, likely 1950s. This poet passed away in 2005.
How to attribute this in my novel? In other words, my novel should say this poem is from this actual poet, even though novel shows that fictional character penned it herself.
Would a footnote be acceptable?
First, I would check on copyright information. Look for the publisher and contact them and get permission. They may give you a preferred way to cite the author. If it is still under copyright, they may not want you to use it, but they may be fine.
If they don't have a preference for citation, I would probably put the information on a Notes or Acknowledgement page. It would give you room for providing more information and won't interrupt the flow for the reader, who would probably wonder why your novel has a footnote. I've seen this kind of material (where a poem may use a line from a song, for example) done on separate pages.
What you should do is check the copyright info on the poem. If it is a really well known poem, then I think you can use it. Like in my book about global warming I used the quote, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing will get better, it will not." From Doctor Seuss. But make sure you say who the quote was from. If it isn't well known, look further into copy write info.
