The speaker of the poem uses the collective pronoun "we," connecting his personal experience to a broader human condition. He eats peaches by the side of the road, prompting reflections on mortality, memory, and the transient nature of joy. His perspective is informed by a background of geographic displacement, diaspora, and a deep awareness of life's fleeting nature.

A youth who sells a brown paper bag of peaches to the speaker. Operating a roadside stand, he exists in a space of travel and transition. His simple act of selling the harvest sets off the speaker's deep reflections on the origins and consumption of the fruit.

A Presbyterian minister who fled mainland China and raised his family in exile. His teachings and his passing heavily influence the poetry volume containing this poem. He instills a knowledge of biblical wandering in his children, connecting their personal immigrant experience to larger cultural and theological histories.