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What Work Is is a collection of poetry by Philip Levine that explores subjects characteristic of his work, including physical labor, class identity, family relationships, and personal loss. Much of the book is shaped by concerns for blue collar workers as well as national political events.
- Philip Levine
- 1991
What Work Is Lyrics. We stand in the rain in a long line. waiting at Ford Highland Park. For work. You know what work is—if you’re. old enough to read this you know what. work...
‘What Work Is’ by Philip Levine explores the tension that exists between the speaker’s relationship with their brother and their understanding of work. ‘What Work Is’ unfolds as the stream of conscious thoughts of a speaker who is waiting in line in the hopes of being given some work to do.
- Male
- May 13, 1994
- Poetry Analyst
You know what work is – if you’re. old enough to read this you know what. work is, although you may not do it. Forget you. This is about waiting, shifting from one foot to another. Feeling the light rain falling like mist. into your hair, blurring your vision. until you think you see your own brother.
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How is work, not working-class consciousness, the central theme of Philip Levine's "What Work Is"? Significance and language usage in Philip Levine's poem "What Work Is"
Philip Levine’s poem “What Work Is” explores the meaning and nature of “work,” particularly that of the blue-collar workers. In this poem, Levine shares a personal experience. In his early life, he had to work in the auto factories of Detroit.
