Old Friends by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton (1840)

HOW are they waned and faded from our hearts,
The old companions of our early days!
Of all the many loved, which name imparts
Regret when blamed, or rapture at its praise?
What are their several fates, by Heaven decreed,
They of the jocund heart, and careless brow?
Alas! we scarcely know and scarcely heed,
Where, in this world of sighs, they wander now.

See, how with cold faint smile, and courtly nod,
They pass, whom wealth and revelry divide—
Who walked together to the house of God,
Read from one book, and rested side by side;
No look of recognition lights the eye
Which laughingly hath met that fellow-face;
With careless hands they greet and wander by,
Who parted once with tears and long embrace.

Oh, childhood! blessed time of hope and love,
When all we knew was Nature's simple law,
How may we yearn again that time to prove,
When we looked round, and loved whate'er we saw.
Now dark suspicion wakes, and love departs,
And cold distrust its well-feigned smile displays;
And they are waned and faded from our hearts,
The old companions of our early days!

  http://allpoetry.com/poem/8532799-Old-Friends-by-Caroline-Elizabeth-Sarah-Norton

Analysis:
I chose the poem “Old Friends” by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton because reflects on childhood friendships. The poem is about a childhood friendship that ended after they started to grow older. I like this poem because it is very accurate to how friendships start to fade away as you get older and sometimes you don’t even realize what’s happening. This poem was very effective by making you rethink your past, to question what went wrong or if maybe life just got in the way.

It’s actually quite sad if you think about, how did we become so busy that we no longer could make time for the people who made such a huge impact on our life? Our childhood friends are people that we never will forget, they were family at one point, but yet we treat each other like strangers. When you see your “old friend” in the store, you may wave or nod your head, but you don’t say no more to them even though when you see them, a sweet memory from your past replays in your head. “Oh, childhood! Blessed time of hope and love, When all we knew was Nature's simple law, How may we yearn again that time to prove, When we looked round, and loved whate'er we saw”. It’s really devastating how we let life get in the way have such a beautiful thing.

I like how the poet used “Old Friends” instead of “Strangers” or something along those lines because I think “Old Friends” is a reminder that they were once an important part in your life. Even though you may treat each other like strangers, there will always be that connection with them. You will always remember and treasure your childhood friendships.

This poem is a great look on reality and just how life works in ways we don’t always understand. Friendships are a big part of our life, we all need them from time to time. I just wish we were able to keep them together as we grow older.