Speaker
The speaker of the poem never identifies themselves and is not part of the couple being described. It can be intuited from their dramatic figurative language that the person is supportive of this couple, as they depict the relationship as beautiful and strong.
Couple
The main characters in the poem are the couple described in the first stanza. One man is Black and the other is white. They draw the negative attention of many people on street but show no concern or reaction. They appear confident in their love for one another as they lock arms, openly showing affection. The speaker compares them to the beauty of day and night and a bolt of lightning.
Onlookers
In the second stanza of the poem, the speaker describes the disapproving gaze of various onlookers. Interestingly, the speaker notes that these people are both Black and white, showing that this judgment is not specific to one group or the other. They are indignant that these men show their love so openly.
