An apostrophic cascade is a sequence of direct addresses—to absent persons, abstract concepts, or inanimate objects—that unfold in rapid succession, creating a lyrical outpouring marked by emotional intensity and rhetorical urgency; derived from apostrophe (a figure of speech addressing the non-present), this cascade amplifies the speaker’s solitude or yearning by multiplying the targets of invocation, as in John Donne’s appeals to Death or contemporary elegies that call out to lost loved ones, transforming grief or awe into a polyphonic chorus of unanswered calls.

Series of repeated apostrophes, often addressing different entities in succession. Creates rhythmic intensity and emotional escalation. Related to anaphora but specifically using direct address. Common in odes and dramatic lyrics.