There'll always be working people in my poems because I grew up with them, and I am a poet of memory.
– Philip Levine
The irony is, going to work every day became the subject of probably my best poetry.
– Philip Levine
Now I think poetry will save nothing from oblivion, but I keep writing about the ordinary because for me it's the home of the extraordinary, the only home.
– Philip Levine
My mother carried on and supported us her ambition had been to write poetry and songs.
– Philip Levine
Meet some people who care about poetry the way you do. You'll have that readership. Keep going until you know you're doing work that's worthy. And then see what happens. That's my advice.
– Philip Levine
I realized poetry's the thing that I can do 'cause I can stick at it and work with tremendous intensity.