Anaphora
Anaphora refers to a poetic technique in which successive phrases or lines begin with the same words, often resembling a litany. The repetition can be as simple as a single word or as long as an entire phrase.
via Academy of American Poets
Example
Excerpt from “Did Rise” by Jessica Rae Bergamino shows how using one word “did” can be paired with another word or few words to still be fresh and powerful:
Did tear along.
Did carry the sour heave
of memory. Did fold my body
upon the pillow’s curve,
did teach myself to pray.
Did pray. Did sleep. Did choir
an echo to swell through time.
Prompt
Bergamino borrowed from Lucie Brock-Broido’s poem, “Did Not Come Back.” Time yourself for 5 minutes, and think of a time you didn’t think you could survive, or move forward, and make notes on what happened and how you did make it. Use the word “did” in front of every line, like Bergamino, to create your map of that time.
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