speaker


The speaker in a poem is the person who is "talking" or telling what happens--the "I" in the poem."  The speaker and author are not always the same person.  For instance, Shel Silverstein, a middle-age man, can write a poem from the perspective of an 8-year-old girl named Sally.  Shel Silverstein is the author, but Sally is the speaker.

Example:  In this poem, the speaker is telling us about how he is being eaten by a boa constrictor; however, Shel Silverstein, the author, is perfectly safe. 

Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein
Oh, I'm being eaten
By a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don't like it--one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It's nibblin' my toe.
Oh, gee,
It's up to my knee.
Oh my,
It's up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It's up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It's up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It's upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .