Speaker
The speaker is an unnamed individual, likely a man resembling Creeley himself, though that is not specified. He is mostly characterized by his concerns about the overwhelming darkness in the world as well as the casual manner of his language. He uses a number of abbreviations in the poem.
The Speaker's Friend ("John")
The speaker's friend is the person who he talks with throughout the poem. The speaker calls him John in conversation, though he quickly notes that this is not his real name. The friend's main comments don't occur until the poem's conclusion. He tells the speaker to drive, in an effort to put off his existential dread. Then he tells him to drive more carefully. He appears largely concerned with material things and tries to draw the speaker back into the world in front of him.
