The Old Familiar Faces, Charles Lamb: Summary, Analysis & Themes
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Charles Lamb's "The Old Familiar Faces" is a poignant reflection on loss and nostalgia. Through this poem, Lamb explores the theme of bereavement and the passage of time, lamenting the disappearance of people who once brought joy and companionship into his life. The repetition of the phrase "all, all are gone" underscores the depth of his sorrow and the sense of emptiness that follows the departure of loved ones.
"The Old Familiar Faces" Poem Text by Charles Lamb
Where are they gone, the old familiar faces?
I had a mother, but she died, and left me,
Died prematurely in a day of horrors—
All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.
I have had playmates, I have had companions,
In my days of childhood, in my joyful school days—
All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.
I have been laughing, I have been carousing,
Drinking late, sitting late, with my bosom cronies—
All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.
I lov'd a love once, fairest among women;
Cl…