A deeply emotional individual lamenting the end of a romantic relationship. Tormented by the unpredictable nature of affection and the enduring power of memory, the speaker struggles with feelings that shift between the certainty of moving on and persistent attachment. They harness their sorrow as a creative force, viewing the natural world as a direct reflection of their vast loneliness.

The speaker's ex-partner whose absence haunts the poem. Remembered primarily through physical attributes like her "great still eyes" and "bright body," she represents a connection that was intense but ultimately mutable. The text notes that her affection was sometimes reciprocated and sometimes uncertain, which preceded their eventual separation.

An unspecified future romantic partner of the former lover. The speaker briefly envisions this person enjoying the former lover's physical presence and voice. This unknown figure marks the finality of the speaker's loss and the continuous nature of romantic attachment.