An Interpretation of What Work Is Richard Hugo once wrote "Philip Levine knows some things so well that he cannot forget them when he writes poetry." I believe one of these things is the subject of the work. The theme of Levine's work comes from his past experiences growing up and working during the World War II period. Philip Levine grew up in Detroit, Michigan during this very difficult time for the United States. His thoughts were occupied by the war and the fear of being sent overseas; so his attention was not focused on things like poetry. Levine was eighteen before he realized that poetry had meaning and that he could connect it to his life. A woman gave him a copy of "Arms and A Boy" by Wilfred Owen. After reading it, he saw that the people involved had real feelings and problems, just like him. It was then that his love for poetry began. Unlike many other poets, Levine writes about common, everyday topics that all people deal with. Among these is the theme of work. When you hear the word “job” you might think of a nine-to-five job that you have to do to pay the bills, but is that the only type of job that exists? According to my interpretation of Levine's poem "What Is Work," my answer would be no. Work is the constant topic throughout the poem "What is Work", but the word "work" has several meanings within this poem. At the beginning of the poem the speaker describes how difficult it is to find a job. This is where the first meaning of work comes into play. The second meaning of work emerges when the speaker talks about his brother's work. The final meaning of the work comes towards the end of the poem when the speaker discusses the relationship between him and his brother. I would like......half sheet......more. He or she must be able to open up and let loved ones see his or her heart, without worrying about things like age, intelligence, and emotions. It's not too late to do "something so simple, so obvious," like share your feelings with someone you care about. I believe this is one of the main points the author tries to convey to his readers. This poem deals with such a simple and everyday topic, but one that can be interpreted in many different ways. Philip Levine has a special way of approaching the topic of work and transforming it into something meaningful. This allows his readers to change, for the better, depending on how they interpret his work. As Levine would say, “The poet has the ability to use language nicely.” and he also manages to capture a very important point. Works Cited: Levine, Philip. What is work. New York: Alfred A. Knopff, 1991.