Years ago, in an interview with the Paris Review, Philip Levine revealed the advice he'd give to any young poet who wanted to succeed: "Do it the hard way, and you'll always feel good about yourself," he said. "You write because you have to, and you get this unbelievable satisfaction from doing it well. Try to live on that as long as you're able. Don't kiss anyone's ass. Wait and be discovered or don't be discovered... I waited a long time; I didn't go to a school that would give me advantages. I didn't publish a book that anyone read until I was forty."

It's been another forty years (and then some) since that book, Not This Pig, came out, and Levine's early patience continues to reap rewards. He has published another thirteen collections (plus two volumes of selected poems) and won several major literary prizes, including a Pulitzer, two National Book Critics Circle Awards, and two National Book Awards. Most recently, on August 9, he was appointed by the Library of Congress as the newest Poet Laureate for the United States.

It's a fantastic trajectory for a poet who began working in the automobile factories of Detroit when he was just fourteen--some of his finest poems, such as "Drum" or "What Work Is," capture as few other poets have the gritty details of working-class life. That descriptive resonance can be felt throughout Levine's verse. Poems like "The Simple Truth, " "He Would Never Use One Word Where None Would Do," or "Our Valley" render simple moments with exquisite clarity, opening them up to new layers of meaning.

At the age of 83, Levine continues to operate at a level few writers can match, and we're eager to see how he helps Americans expand their appreciation of poetry over the next two years.

You can learn more about Philip Levine at the Poetry Foundation website, which has collected more than 80 of his poems--an excellent retrospective of a Character Approved national treasure.

[Image: Geoffrey Berliner]