Anaphora: The repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive lines for emphasis, rhythm, and emotional impact.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . .” Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Epiphora: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of the sentence.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Symploce combines anaphora and epiphora.

“Ain’t no mountain high enough; Ain’t no valley low enough; Ain’t no river wide enough.”  Song lyrics “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell  

Rewrite a previous freewrite using anaphora, epiphora, and/or symploce.

“Open a New Window,” song lyrics by Jerry Herman in the musical “Mame.”

Open a new window,
Open a new door,
Travel a new highway,
That’s never been tried before;

Or use song titles or lyrics to spark your writing.  

The idea of Anaphora, epiphora, and symploce inspired from: ​

Jane Friedman’s Blog: “Creating Microtension in Your Story Through Repetition​” by C. S. Lakin. April 28, 2026

And

“How to Write Stunning Sentences” by Nina Schuyler

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