An anaphoric chain sonnet is a fourteen-line poem built around a series of repeated opening phrases (anaphora) that evolve incrementally across the lines, creating a cumulative, incantatory effect while adhering to the sonnet’s traditional volta and resolution; each repetition introduces a subtle variation or deepening of the initial proposition, transforming the form into a meditative spiral where the refrain becomes both anchor and engine of transformation, as seen in works by Terrance Hayes or Natasha Trethewey exploring identity, memory, or social critique.

Sonnet where each line or stanza begins with same word/phrase (anaphora), creating cumulative rhetorical effect. Links to parallelism techniques. Challenges traditional sonnet compression with expansive repetition.