The narrator of the poem acts as a universal voice advancing through the stages of life. Initially speaking from the perspective of an innocent child who views adults with naive judgment, he finds it impossible to comprehend the concept of parenthood. He progresses into an adult who critiques the physical decline of the older generation before aging into an elder himself.

These figures represent the older generation within the text. They start out as protectors who tell comforting lies to help their child fall asleep safely. As they age, they physically decline, developing wrinkles and odd coughs that draw harsh criticism from their offspring.

The newest generation in the cycle of life represented in the text. They serve as the audience for the speaker once he has aged into an elder himself. Much like the speaker in his own youth, they lack the life experience necessary to understand the pain of the adults raising them.