Words that are repeated in different stanza are also very important. The most significant common word in "Not Your Problem" is the word here. The narrator means for the word here to represent the place which he is describing.
Stanzas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 all begin with the word here. Putting here at the beginning of the stanza emphasizes what is occurring in this place. The description of what is happening in this place occurs after the word here.
Stanza 9 contains the word here, but not at the beginning of the stanza like almost every other stanza. Moving the word here from the beginning of the stanza to the end of the first line reflects that a change is occurring now. This coincides with stanza 8 which tells us that a change is going to occur: "We will change all of this" (24). We already know that something is going to change in the way things are handled here. The narrator says that "we will change all this" (24), but things have already changed. The fact that the oppressed are even going to do something about the problems shows that a change has occurred-a change in the way people have been thinking, including those who are oppressed.
End of the Stanzas
Often, the end of the stanza, especially the punctuation, can show you something. If you notice, each of the stanzas, even those that are only one line/sentence, end with a period. That is common, of course, but what is significant about the period, especially in poetry, is that ends a thought; it can stop something or show a finalization. You've heard your mother say, "I said you cannot have that. Period." She is giving you a fact; there is no arguing. She ended her refusal with a period. Same concept here.
Stanza 1 is a good example. The period at the end of the sentence is commanding. "Avoid this place." (1). Do not come here; go to great efforts to not come to this certain place. The narrator is warning you, commanding you in the imperative mood. The rest of the poem simply gives you reasons as to why you do not want to visit this place.
Periods are also very factual. You never question a period. A comma you can disagree with, but not a period. It is the end and final statement. In this poem, each stanza presents its example, its facts.
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