Speaker
The speaker is an unnamed individual who is troubled by her unstable relationship with Hope. She refers repeatedly to her inability to rely on Hope in the times when she needs it most. The tenor of her voice is a somber one, making multiple comments about the difficulties in her life.
Hope
Hope is personified as the speaker's "timid friend," offering little comfort and seeming never to align with the speaker's internal state. As the speaker describes her, she is evasive and standoffish, choosing to sing when the speaker is in great pain but never responding when the speaker takes notice of her. In the speaker's darkest hour, Hope spreads its wings and takes flight, leaving the speaker's life permanently.
