1. Imagery: The use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images and sensory impressions. Levine employs imagery throughout the poem to evoke the physical and emotional experiences of work, such as “the smell of work” or the image of “the stack of forms” that represents unemployment.
2. Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two different things by stating that one thing is another. For instance, Levine uses metaphors to convey the idea of work as something powerful and consuming, such as when he describes the saw “singing” in the bone.
3. Repetition: The intentional repetition of words, phrases, or sounds for emphasis. Levine employs repetition in the poem, particularly with the repetition of the phrase “What work is” to underscore the central theme and highlight the various dimensions and implications of work.
4. Alliteration: The repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of nearby words. Levine uses alliteration to create musicality and rhythm, such as in the line “sweat that stuck to the work” where the repetition of the “s” sound adds a sense of texture and intensity.
5. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or thought without a pause beyond the end of a line or stanza. Levine employs enjambment throughout the poem, allowing the lines to flow smoothly and creating a sense of continuity.
6. Simile: A figure of speech that compares two different things using “like” or “as.” Though not as prevalent in the poem, Levine does use similes to enhance the imagery and meaning, such as when he describes the unemployed as “staring at some site” like statues.

What Work Is Summary