The speaker is an Acoma Pueblo man who misses his deceased father and longs for the ability to communicate with him once more. His recollections center on his childhood experiences planting corn at Acu. He possesses a strong tactile memory, recalling the exact feeling of damp sand and the tiny bodies of baby mice in his hands. He absorbs lessons directly through observing the gentle actions of his family.

The father is an Acoma Pueblo farmer who tends the earth using traditional tools like the plowshare. He demonstrates a form of masculinity rooted in open emotion and immense tenderness. While working in the fields, he pauses his labor to teach his son about preserving life, carefully relocating a disturbed nest of baby mice. He prioritizes passing down traditions of mercy over the immediate demands of farm work.