The speaker of “This Is Just to Say” is an ordinary person who’s confessing that they’ve eaten the last of the plums. We don’t really know anything about the speaker or the person they’re addressing. Given the casual intimacy of the tone, however, it seems likely that the speaker is addressing a significant other—perhaps a domestic partner or a roommate. The speaker shows care and concern for this “you” through the simple act of their confession. Instead of leaving them to guess why the plums disappeared, the speaker wants their significant other to know they were responsible. The speaker also wants to acknowledge that their actions might be disruptive. Indeed, they recognize that the addressee was “probably / saving [the plums] / for breakfast” (lines 6–8), and it’s for this reason that they beg pardon: “Forgive me” (line 9). Yet even as the speaker acknowledges their wrongdoing and expresses guilt, they close the poem with a quiet cheekiness. Instead of concluding with more words of repentance, the speaker ends by emphasizing the sheer pleasure they took in their minor transgression. The speaker’s cheeky tone indicates the intimacy and sense of humor they share with their significant other.

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