Perceptual anaphora is a rhetorical and structural device in which a repeated syntactic phrase or clause is used not merely for emphasis but to simulate or enact a shift in perception, consciousness, or sensory experience across successive lines or stanzas; unlike standard anaphora, which reinforces a single idea, perceptual anaphora tracks evolving awareness—such as changing light, emotional states, or spatial orientation—thereby making the repetition itself a vehicle for phenomenological exploration, as seen in the observational poetry of Elizabeth Bishop or the meditative sequences of Jorie Graham.

Anaphora creating sensory or perceptual emphasis rather than logical. Imagist technique focusing attention. Related to incremental repetition and litany.