Narrator of "Apples"
The narrator of this poem, although the protagonist, has quite a pessimistic outlook on life. By using the metaphor of apples, he explains that things in life are different from each perspective you use them (what you say you have isn't always what you have). In this way, he appears to be quite the liar. Through his wise words, however, one can deduce that the apples are the hidden truth within himself, and he is too scared to let that truth be freed.
The Lord
Referring to God in the poem "The Gift of the Magi," the Lord is a respectable being that seems to have unleashed chaos throughout the Heavens. His followers and child, Jesus Christ, appear to be wreaking havoc on the ecosystem, "knowing" that this is some sort of joke and "drinking too much wine." The Lord is not the main character of the poem, but is important to comprehend because he no longer has a powerful presence of control.
The Shepherds
In the poem "The Gift of the Magi," the shepherds are said to have drunken too much wine. This represents how there is an apparent chaos in the Heavens because normally shepherds would be sober. Something must have went wrong, but that something is not described in the poem.
Narrator of "M?"
This narrator takes on more of a curious persona, admitting he doesn't really know what is going on in the world. He comes up with the idea that there is perhaps another element in the common substance water. Somehow, scientists have not found it, and if they haven't, does that mean it is really there? For we are the ones that came up with the idea of elements, aren't we? By not finding the element, the narrator comes to the conclusion that humans are ignorant and often cannot see things that are right in front of them.
