Cerebral correspondence refers to intellectual or conceptual parallels between elements in a poem that require thoughtful analysis to discern, as opposed to immediately perceptible sonic or structural correspondences. These connections involve thematic echoes, philosophical alignments, or subtle semantic relationships that create unity through ideas rather than surface features. Cerebral correspondence demands active cognitive engagement from readers who must recognize abstract patterns, making the poem's coherence a matter of interpretive discovery rather than obvious formal design.

Cerebral correspondence links intellectual or abstract ideas through poetic structure—common in metaphysical poetry where logic and emotion intertwine.