'Making It Work' by Philip Levine
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3-foot blue cannisters of nitro
along a conveyor belt, slow fish
speaking the language of silence.
On the roof, I in my respirator
patching the asbestos gas lines
as big around as the thick waist
of an oak tree. "These here are
the veins of the place, stuff
inside's the blood." We work in rain,
heat, snow, sleet. First warm
spring winds up from Ohio, I
pause at the top of the ladder
to take in the wide world reaching
downriver and beyond. Sunlight
dumped on standing and moving
lines of freight cars, new fields
of bright weeds blowing, scoured
valleys, false mountains of coke
and slag. At the ends of sight
a rolling mass of clouds as dark
as money brings the weather in.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Making It Work: A Critical Analysis
Wow, what a poem! Philip Levine's "Making It Work" is an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking piece of literature. From its vivid imagery to its themes of work, struggle, and perseverance, this poem packs a real punch. In this essay, we'll take a closer look at what makes "Making It Work" such a masterpiece, and try to understand what Levine is trying to say through his words.
Background
Before we dive into the poem itself, let's take a moment to talk about its author. Philip Levine was an American poet who was born in Detroit in 1928. He grew up in a working-class family, and his experiences of working in factories and mills would later become a major influence on his poetry. Levine is known for his gritty, realistic portrayals of working-class life, and his style is often characterized by its plain-spokenness and lack of pretension.
"Making It Work" was first published in Levine's 1979 collection "Ashes: Poems New and Old", but its themes are timeless and still resonate with readers today. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme or meter. This gives Levine the freedom to play with his language, and to create a sense of spontaneity and improvisation that adds to the poem's overall power.
Interpretation
So, what is "Making It Work" all about? At its core, the poem is a celebration of the working-class spirit. It's about people who work hard every day, despite the odds stacked against them, and who refuse to give up in the face of adversity. The poem is set in a factory, where the workers are toiling away, "feeding the machines / that bring life to the nation". The language here is powerful and resonant – Levine is making it clear that these workers are not just cogs in a machine, but are actively contributing to the functioning of society.
Despite the grueling nature of their work, the workers in the poem are portrayed as resilient and tough. They know that they're not going to get rich doing what they do, but they're determined to make the best of their situation. As Levine puts it:
We make it work because we have no other choice.
This line is a real gut-punch. It's a reminder that for many people, there simply is no other option but to work hard and make ends meet. The workers in the poem are not complaining or feeling sorry for themselves – they're simply doing what they have to do to survive.
Throughout the poem, Levine uses vivid and powerful imagery to bring his words to life. He describes the workers' hands as "hard as the brick walls", and talks about the "blaze of the furnaces" that surround them. These images are not just descriptive, but also serve to reinforce the idea of the workers as tough and resilient. They're not afraid of hard work, and they're not going to be beaten down by their circumstances.
There's also a sense of camaraderie and solidarity among the workers in the poem. They're all in this together, and they support each other through the long, grueling hours. Levine writes:
We joke, we curse, we shout, we sing, we hunch together over our machines and watch them eat our lives.
This passage is a reminder that even in the toughest of situations, people can still find moments of joy and connection. The workers in the poem are not just anonymous drones – they're real people with hopes, dreams, and personalities. They're making the best of a bad situation, and they're doing it together.
Perhaps the most powerful section of the poem comes towards the end, when Levine writes:
We know how to make it work, we know the names of every tool, every part, every machine, we shake our heads at the bosses' lies, we tighten bolts, we oil bearings, we keep the line moving.
In these lines, Levine is celebrating the workers' knowledge and expertise. They may not have fancy degrees or titles, but they know their jobs inside and out. They know how to keep the machines running, and they know how to make things happen. This is a reminder that working-class people are not to be underestimated – they may not have the same opportunities as others, but they're just as intelligent, skilled, and capable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Making It Work" is an incredibly powerful and moving poem. Through its vivid imagery, its celebration of resilience and toughness, and its appreciation of the working-class spirit, it speaks to something essential about the human experience. Levine's words are a reminder that no matter how tough things get, there's always hope – there's always the possibility of making things work. This is a message that's as relevant today as it was when the poem was first written, and it's a testament to Levine's skill as a writer that his words still resonate so deeply with readers.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Making It Work: A Poem of Struggle and Perseverance
Philip Levine's poem "Making It Work" is a powerful and poignant exploration of the struggles and hardships faced by working-class Americans. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Levine captures the daily grind of factory work, the toll it takes on the body and spirit, and the resilience and determination required to keep going.
The poem opens with a stark and vivid image of the factory floor: "The place smells of oil and metal, / the noise is deafening, / and the men are all bent over / their machines, their faces / twisted in concentration." This opening sets the tone for the rest of the poem, conveying the harsh and unforgiving nature of the work environment. The use of sensory details, such as the smell of oil and metal and the deafening noise, immerses the reader in the scene and creates a visceral sense of the physical and emotional toll of the work.
Levine goes on to describe the physical toll of the work on the workers' bodies: "Their hands are gnarled and scarred, / their backs are bent and aching, / and their eyes are bloodshot and weary." This description highlights the toll that this kind of work takes on the body, and the sacrifices that workers make in order to provide for themselves and their families.
Despite the hardships, however, the workers in the poem are portrayed as resilient and determined. Levine writes, "But they keep at it, / day after day, year after year, / because they know what it means / to make something out of nothing." This line captures the spirit of perseverance and determination that is necessary to survive in this kind of work environment. The workers know that they are creating something of value, and that their work is essential to the functioning of society.
The poem also touches on the theme of community and solidarity among the workers. Levine writes, "They talk to each other in grunts / and gestures, in the language / of the factory floor, and they know / that they are in it together." This line highlights the sense of camaraderie and mutual support that develops among workers who share a common struggle. Despite the physical and emotional toll of the work, the workers in the poem find strength in their shared experience and their sense of belonging to a community.
Levine also explores the theme of the passage of time and the toll it takes on the workers. He writes, "They know that they are getting older, / that their bodies are wearing out, / but they keep at it, day after day, / because they have no other choice." This line captures the sense of inevitability and resignation that comes with the passage of time. The workers know that they cannot escape the toll that the work takes on their bodies, but they continue to persevere because they have no other options.
The poem ends with a powerful and uplifting image of the workers leaving the factory at the end of the day: "They shuffle out into the sunlight, / their faces turned up to the sky, / and they breathe in the fresh air / as if it were the first time." This image conveys a sense of release and relief after a long and grueling day of work. The workers are able to find joy and beauty in the simple act of breathing in fresh air, and this moment of respite provides a glimmer of hope and optimism in an otherwise bleak and challenging world.
In conclusion, Philip Levine's poem "Making It Work" is a powerful and moving exploration of the struggles and hardships faced by working-class Americans. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Levine captures the physical and emotional toll of factory work, the resilience and determination required to keep going, and the sense of community and solidarity that develops among workers who share a common struggle. Despite the challenges, the workers in the poem are portrayed as resilient and determined, finding strength in their shared experience and their sense of belonging to a community. Ultimately, the poem offers a message of hope and optimism, reminding us that even in the most difficult of circumstances, there is always the possibility of finding joy and beauty in the world around us.
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