The Speaker is a poet who receives a request from an eighth-grade boy to write and mail him a poem for Valentine's Day. She uses a casual, intimate conversational style to connect with her audience. Rather than fulfilling the request immediately, she seeks to impart a deeper understanding of where poetry originates and how to find it in everyday places like sock drawers and garages.

Ernest Mann is an eighth-grade boy who approaches the speaker with a straightforward request to mail him a poem for Valentine's Day. He possesses a good spirit and a genuine curiosity about poetry. His name operates as a pun on "earnest man," reflecting his sincere desire to connect with the speaker and the written word.

The Serious Man is an acquaintance of the speaker who approaches life in a highly literal and genuine manner. He does not base his perception of beauty on cultural expectations or popular opinion, allowing him to see the world independently. Because he genuinely admires their beautiful eyes, he gives his wife two live skunks as a valentine.

The Wife is married to the Serious Man and is the recipient of his unconventional Valentine's Day gift. She reacts to the presentation of two live skunks with tears, demonstrating a conventional misunderstanding of his gesture. Her response highlights the clash between standard romantic expectations and her husband's unique perspective.