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‘Let Me Begin Again’ by Phillip Levine portrays a man at the end of his life, pleading to go back, as he has many regrets about how he lived. Read Poem PDF Guide
- Female
- Poetry Analyst
Aug 10, 2011 · Levine's leap from I to we at the end betrays his subtle but effective shift away from the personal to the universal, saving the poem from mere private reminiscence about his two late friends and his own imminent demise.
The poet’s description of the work line is now recounted in the second person: “mist / into your hair, blurring your vision” (Lines 8-9). The figure, “you,” (Line 11) in the poem is loosely Levine himself, but includes the reader because of its second person perspective.
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‘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. The settingis the Ford Motor Company’s factory situated in ...
‘What Work Is’ is structured into a single stanza composed of 42 lines written in free verse. There is no rhyme scheme or definite meter. However, Levine’s use of enjambment and end-stopped line and the various uses of caesura create a cadence that mirrors typical speech patterns and stream of consciousness.
‘What Work Is’ uses both imagery and figurative language. There are examples of visual imagery: “We stand in the rain in a long line” (1); kinesthetic imagery: “shifting from one foot to another” (7) and tactile imagery: “Feeling the light rain falling like mist / into your hair” (8). There is also symbolism in “what work is” (3, 42), which the spe...
Lines 1-5
‘What Work Is’opens on a dreary scene: a group of men stands waiting “in the rain in a long line” (1), hoping there will be some work available. The speaker tersely explains they’re there for work and assumes that even if the reader isn’t old enough to do work themselves, they no doubt know what it is. In this way, Levine introduces one of the common motifsfound in his poems: the ubiquitous and, at times crushing presence that industry and capitalism have on the lives of working people.
Lines 6-11
The speaker then expresses their annoyance — owed to the rain and uncertainty of their waiting for work — with a reminder that this poem isn’t about the reader though. “Forget you” (6), they declare shortly. This line could also be interpreted as an inward chastisement, which makes sense given how the poem eventually shifts away from the speaker and towards their brother. Then they declare this poem is “about waiting” (6) and not necessarily just work. A variety of imagery is then used to des...
Lines 12-22
Except it turns out not to be the speaker’s brother — after rubbing away the moisture, they realize it’s “someone else’s brother” (13). Levine’s diction is crucial as it shies away from identifying the unknown man as simply a stranger by opting to establish some sort of camaraderie by finding common ground in having a sibling. Empathy is further established as the speaker examines the man’s shape in the rain and finds similarities to their own brother: they share “the same sad slouch” (15); a...
‘They Feed They Lion’ by Philip Levine– this poem vividly presents an uprising of oppressed peoples.‘Woman Work’ by Maya Angelou– this poem celebrates the work done by women and views it as not only essential but with immense purpose.‘Work without Hope’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge– this poem meditates on the nature of work not just done by humans but throughout the natural world.- Male
- May 13, 1994
- Poetry Analyst
Analysis: “What Work Is”. “What Work Is” begins with a third person pronoun, with Philip Levine including both himself or the speaker and the reader: “We stand in the rain in a long line” (Line 1).
Discuss the language usage and metaphorical references in Philip Levine's poem "What Work Is". How do the settings in Levine's "What Work Is" reinforce his deeper messages?
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How does Philip Levine start the poem 'what work is'?
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What does Philip Levine say about a brother looking for work?
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.
