Anaphora Anaphora is the repetition of a phrase or clause at the beginning of a sentence or, in a poetic context, the beginning of a line. It can create a sense of rhythm or a strong sense of emotion. A song-like nature can be created with anaphora. It is a device that can emphasize a message, a moment, a memory, or an image. Anaphora can be a literary device that provides structure to an unruly or difficult topic. It can give a speaker of a poem language about a topic that might otherwise be difficult to grasp. Lastly, anaphora can become a type of litany poem. It is considered a rhetorical device. And, like any device, infinite possibilities exist for how it can be used. You are probably familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King's speech, "I Have a Dream." Do you know it contains an anaphora? Multiple times throughout the speech, he begins his sentences with: "I have a dream that." You can check out a transcript of his speech here and note how he uses anaphora. ...