An immigrant woman of color working in a menial job washing dishes in a 1920s urban restaurant, likely in Harlem. Displaced from a tropical homeland, she is surrounded by Eurocentric beauty standards that alienate her from her own identity. She endures a demanding daily routine and harbors a harsh self-critique, entirely unaware of the physical or spiritual glory she possesses.

An anonymous observer who watches the woman work in the diner kitchen. Unlike the woman or the surrounding society, the speaker recognizes her inherent dignity and cultural worth. They remain at a physical and emotional distance, never interacting with or speaking directly to the woman. This distance makes the speaker a silent, solitary witness to her isolation.