Speaker

Definition: the person who is telling the poem from their perspective.

Example:

 Still I Rise

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I rise.

~Maya Angelou

(In this case, the speaker can be anybody, but most likely it is the poet.)

Significance: The difference of the speaker and the poet is very important. The poet is not always the speaker. The poet may be writing from the perspective of a family member, friend, or even a complete stranger! The speaker is also the narrator of the poem.