Audre Lorde is a poet and librarian born in New York City to Caribbean immigrant parents. She writes from personal experience to address systemic oppression, prioritizing accessibility by working in free verse. Following a breast cancer diagnosis, she documents her medical experiences while continuing her activism in feminist and LGBTQ+ organizations.

Referred to in the poem as the heavy-footed, these individuals hold societal power and privilege. They move through the world without needing to exercise caution. They utilize false promises of security to maintain control over marginalized groups.

The narrative voice of the poem uses plural pronouns to represent a collective of marginalized people living in boundary spaces. This group exists at the edges of society and constantly chooses between basic needs. They seek a better future for the next generation while contending with fear instilled from early childhood.

Frances Clayton is Audre Lorde's long-term romantic partner. She and Lorde begin dating in 1972 after Lorde enters the LGBTQ+ community.

Edwin Rollins marries Audre Lorde in 1962. They have two children together before divorcing in 1970, after which he comes out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Audre Lorde and Edwin Rollins. She grows up while her mother achieves prominence as a poet and activist.

Jonathan is the son of Audre Lorde and Edwin Rollins. His mother's poetry often focuses on providing a secure future for children like him.

Adrienne Rich is a fellow poet and peer of Audre Lorde. She conducts an interview with Lorde regarding the intersections of illness, survival, and the necessity of writing.

Michele Wallace is an author and part of the literary community surrounding the Combahee River Collective. She works alongside Lorde to establish intersectional spaces within the feminist movement, which is predominantly white at the time.

Clifford Glover is a ten-year-old boy killed by a racist police officer. His death serves as the direct inspiration for one of Lorde's other poems about the systemic violence facing marginalized groups.

The younger generation referenced in the poem. The collective works to ensure these individuals have access to basic sustenance and the freedom to develop dreams that do not revolve around early death.