The worms symbolize hostile elements in the world because, in the metaphor, the worms infiltrate the fruit, eat “the rind” (Line 8), and make inedible what could have been a good piece of fruit. Worms also connect with images of maggots, parasites, and contamination, or could apply to earthworms living underground; worms lurk beneath the surface. Applying the metaphor to the world, the malign people take over society (the rind) and corrupt it from the inside out. However, there is something optimistic about this symbol: Worms are not the most intimidating foes because it is possible to eradicate them; therefore, the speaker presents the evil forces as readily vanquishable.

The reader and the audience—the "you" in Line 2—carry important symbolism because the "you" propels the poem forward. After the speaker declares, "I am so tired of waiting" (Line 1), he turns to the reader and asks, "Aren't you" (Line 2). The "you" gives the speaker someone to talk to and symbolizes an interlocutor or a companion. Without the "you," the speaker is alone and must figure out how to continue the poem by himself.

The "you" also represents an ally or someone who agrees with the speaker's evaluation of the world.