The Prostitute
"In the Old Tavern" features this unseen but often mentioned woman. She is a representative figure of the corrupt, the abused, and the rejected. While society looks down upon her, she is the compatriot of the narrator. He has never met her, but he feels a kind of kinship with her because of her lowly status. He alone doesn't look down on her, recognizing the loneliness and desperation in her vocation. She is noble and true to herself and her survival, without having abandoned the very heart and principles which make that survival , despite the rejection of her society.
The Iraqi Government
This collective entity is the frequent subject of Al-Nawab's poetry. In texts like "Jerusalem Is Arab Nationalism's Bride" and "Iv-Letter-Word" he side-steps decorum to directly address the government with what he considers crimes. In Al-Nawab's assessment the government has stolen the people's joy in exchange for unstable international unions. They reach for prizes, like the city of Jerusalem, which hold more suffering than reward. Tired of sitting by, Al-Nawab accuses the government of corruption in "Iv-Letter-Word."
The Son
Having died, presumably in war, the son of "The Disavowal" is the father's hope still. He brought health and happiness to his father's life, so much so that even upon seeing his dead body, the father is renewed. He is the imbued representative of all of his father's vigor and purpose.
The Grandson
Also in "The Disavowal" the narrator speaks of his grandson, newly orphaned. He does not pity the boy. He offers him some solace and a promise of protection because he is a child belonging to a larger community which will not abandon him. According to his father's political allegiance, the boy will be granted support.
