Repetition chain: A structural device where repeated words, phrases, or images link successive lines or stanzas, creating forward momentum through recurrence. Repetition chains appear in various forms from anaphora through incremental repetition to more complex patterns where each unit contains elements from previous units plus new material. The technique creates cohesion, emphasis, and building effects. Understanding repetition chains reveals how recurrence creates structure and how poetry can develop through variation on repeated elements, balancing stability and change through patterned repetition.

Repetition chain links ideas through recurring words, phrases, or sounds that thread through the poem. This technique creates unity and emphasis by weaving repeated elements throughout the text.