Poem Analysis - The Old Home Calls

An Ode to Nostalgia and Belonging

Lucy Maud Montgomery's "The Old Home Calls" is a poignant invitation steeped in longing and a deep yearning for connection. The poem adopts the persona of a home, personified as an aging entity that misses the vibrant presence of the children who once filled its rooms. The tone is initially wistful and melancholic, underscored by the descriptions of silence and loss, but it gradually shifts to hopeful anticipation, as the home actively beckons its loved ones to return. The poem resonates with themes of memory, familial love, and the enduring power of home.

The Enduring Power of Familial Love

The poem's central theme revolves around the unwavering power of familial love, expressed through the home's yearning for its absent children. The repeated phrase "Come back to me" serves as a powerful refrain, emphasizing the depth of the home's longing. Lines such as "O, children of my love" and "Darlings, come to my empty heart" reveal the intense affection the home feels. The descriptions of offering "childhood dreams, your gladness and delights" and "the joy of days in the sun and rain, the sleep of carefree nights" illustrate a desire to nurture and cherish, a hallmark of familial love. This enduring affection is a response to the absence felt in the home, which is described as "empty" and "alone."

Isolation Personified

The theme of isolation is intricately woven throughout the poem. The home, presented as a sentient being, expresses its loneliness in vivid terms. The "silent rooms" and "empty heart" are potent images that evoke a sense of emptiness. While the external world is described as beautiful – with "roses bloom[ing]" and "lights shine[ing]" – these natural elements serve as a stark contrast to the internal void. The home's isolation is heightened by its age, emphasizing the passage of time and the growing distance between itself and its children. The line "I am old and still and alone!" is a direct declaration of its solitude, making it a dominant thematic element.

Nostalgic Imagery and Symbolism

The poem utilizes powerful imagery to evoke a sense of nostalgia and to underscore its themes. The "little dancing feet," "little voices," and "little hearts" are sensory details that recall the vibrant energy of childhood, now absent. The "red light" from the fireside is a recurring symbol of warmth, welcome, and the promise of comfort. It represents the enduring nature of the home's love and its readiness to embrace its children. Similarly, the "lisping pine trees" that "fold" around the home suggest protection and constancy. The open door "set open wide" stands as a symbolic invitation to return to the familiarity and security of the old home. All these images are carefully crafted to evoke a feeling of longing for the past. The "swallows flutter about my eaves" could be a symbol for freedom and traveling. Given this is juxtaposed with the home’s loneliness, could this be a subtle reminder that the children are now ‘free’ and away from home?

Concluding Thoughts

"The Old Home Calls" is a deeply moving poem that explores the themes of familial love, isolation, and the enduring power of memory. Through vivid imagery and a personified home, Montgomery captures the bittersweet feeling of longing for a past filled with joy and connection. The poem's enduring appeal lies in its ability to resonate with universal experiences of nostalgia and the yearning for a place of belonging. Ultimately, the poem serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of home and the enduring bonds of family. The poem encourages us to appreciate what home provides, and also to value the familial connections it fosters before they are lost or diminished by time and distance.