The poem explores the intense, unspoken connection between two people, most likely a man and a woman. However, the focus is on the emotional intimacy and the psychological impact of their relationship, rather than individual identities.
Some interpretations suggest the poem explores multiple, interwoven relationships within the speaker's mind, further complicating the idea of individual "players."
Therefore, "Intimates" is not a poem with a defined number of characters but rather an exploration of complex emotions and the blurry boundaries between individual and collective experience.