Inspiring Friendship Through Friendship Poems

Friendship can be a special connection, but you may sense that it's difficult to find the words to describe what your friend means to you. Luckily, writers, poets, and other thinkers—everyone from William Shakespeare to Emily Brontë—have long written about the importance of friendship. Connecting with your feelings through poems about friendship may be a starting point. 

Exploring friendship poems and poetry about friends, trust, and loyalty

On the love of a best friend

By Katherine Philips

I did not live until this time

Crowned my felicity,

When I could say without a crime,

I am not thine, but thee.

This carcass breathed, and walked, and slept,

So that the world believed

There was a soul the motions kept;

But they were all deceived.

For as a watch by art is wound

To motion, such was mine:

But never had Orinda found

A soul till she found thine;

Which now inspires, cures, and supplies,

And guides my darkened breast:

For thou art all that I can prize,

My joy, my life, my rest.

No bridegroom's nor crown-conqueror's mirth

To mine compared can be:

They have but pieces of the earth,

I've all the world in thee.

Then let our flames still light and shine,

And no false fear control,

As innocent as our design,

Immortal as our soul.

This poem is a celebration of the closeness and joy of friendship. The poet, Katherine Philips, expresses the old idea that friendship is one soul in two bodies. Phillips is also known as "the Matchless Orinda." "Orinda" in the poem refers to herself by that name. Some people believe Katherine may have been a lesbian, so this poem may be a love poem, but it can also be interpreted through a friendship lens. 

On friends and friendship as a source of strength

Friendship

By Henry David Thoreau

I think awhile of Love, and while I think,

Love is, to me, a world,

Sole meat and sweetest drink,

And close connecting link

Tween heaven and earth.

I only know it is, not how or why,

My greatest happiness;

However hard I try,

Not if I were to die,

Can I explain.

I fain would ask my friend how it can be,

But when the time arrives,

Then Love is more lovely

Than anything to me,

And so I'm dumb.

For if the truth were known, Love cannot speak,

But only thinks and does;

Though surely out 'twill leak

Without the help of Greek,

Or any tongue.

A man may love the truth and practice it,

Beauty he may admire,

And goodness not omit,

As much as may befit

To reverence.

But only when these three together meet,

As they always incline,

And make one soul the seat,

And favorite retreat,

Of loveliness;

When under kindred shape, like loves and hates

And a kindred nature,

Proclaim us to be mates,

Exposed to equal fates

Eternally;

And each may other help, and service do,

Drawing Love's bands more tight,

Service he ne'er shall rue

While one and one make two,

And two are one;

In such case, only doth man fully prove

Fully as man can do,

What power there is in Love

His inmost soul to move

Resistlessly.

Two sturdy oaks, I mean, which, side by side,

Withstand the winter's storm,

And spite of wind and tide,

Grow up the meadow's pride,

For both are strong.

Above they barely touch, but undermined

Down to their deepest source,

Admiring you shall find

Their roots are intertwined

Inseparably.

One of the most famous poems about friendship, Henry David Thoreau's "Friendship," challenges some modern conceptions of friendship. Some may think of friends as people they can have fun with or vent to. Thoreau offers a vision of friendship as a source of strength that helps two people grow to their potential.

On the inspirational power of friendship

Will You Ever

By Kaitlin Yawn 

I don't think you will 

Ever fully understand

How you've touched my life

And made me who I am.

I don't think you could ever know

Just how truly special you are,

That even on the darkest nights

You are my brightest star

You've allowed me to experience 

Something very hard to find,

Unconditional love that exists

In my body, soul, and mind

I don't think you could ever feel 

All the love I have to give,

And I'm sure you'll never realize

You've been my will to live

You are an amazing person,

And without you, I don't know where I'd be

Having you in my life

Kaitlin's poem describes how profound connections and love can form in friendship. Some people may feel uncomfortable declaring this type of platonic intimacy from friendship. However, Kaitlin uses it to communicate how much her best friend's friendship means to her. 

On the unique nature friendships and connection of friends 

Friendship

By Emily Bronte

Love is like the wild rose briar,

Friendship like the holly tree-

The holly is dark when the rose briar blooms

But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild rose briar is sweet in spring,

Its summer blossoms scent the air;

Yet wait till winter comes again

And who will call the wild briar fair?

Then scorn the silly rose wreath now

And deck thee with the holly's sheen,

That when December blights thy brow

He still may leave thy garland green.

Unlike Thoreau, who talked about "love" more generally by including the animating force of friendship, Bronte contrasts romantic love with friendship and love for friends. This poem offers a reminder not to neglect friends when you start a romantic relationship. 

Friendship poems on prioritizing friendship

A Time To Talk

By Robert Frost

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaning walk,

I don't stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven't hoed,

And shout from where I am, What is it?

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

This poem by Robert Frost is another short friendship poem with ten lines. Instead of expounding on the depths and joys of friendship, Frost reflects on the practical value of allowing time for friendly conversation with friends, even in the middle of a busy workday. 

On the bond and diversity of friendships

By Richard Brautigan

If I were to live my life

in catfish forms

in scaffolds of skin and whiskers

at the bottom of a pond

and you were to come by

one evening

when the moon was shining

down into my dark home

and stand there at the edge

of my affection

and think, "It's beautiful

here by this pond. I wish

somebody loved me,"

I'd love you and be your catfish

friend and drive such lonely

thoughts from your mind

and suddenly, you would be

at peace,

and ask yourself, "I wonder

if there are any catfish

in this pond? It seems like

a perfect place for them."

Funny friendship poems can offer a whimsical nature to incite the imagination and portray a profound connection with a friend in a way that doesn't appear cliché. 

Friend poems on losing a friend 

Since Hanna Moved Away

By Judith Viorst

The tires on my bike are flat.

The sky is grouchy gray.

At least, it sure feels like that

Since Hanna moved away.

Chocolate ice cream tastes like prunes.

December's come to stay.

They've taken back the Mays and Junes

Since Hanna moved away.

Flowers smell like halibut.

Velvet feels like hay.

Every handsome dog's a mutt

Since Hanna moved away.

Nothing's fun to laugh about.

Nothing's fun to play.

They call me, but I won't come out

Since Hanna moved away.

Our connections with childhood friends can be vital when we’re young. Written from a child's perspective, this poem doesn't use fancy language or obscure references to express its appreciation for friendship. This poem can be relatable for those who have lost a childhood friend. In addition, the poem can be a testimony to the power of friendship. 

On the fortifying effects of friendship

By Hauntie

That I could be this human at this time

breathing, looking, seeing, smelling

That I could be this moment at this time

resting, calmly moving, feeling

That I could be this excellence at this time

sudden, changed, peaceful, & woke

To all my friends who have been with me in weakness

when water falls rush down my two sides

To all my friends who have felt me in anguish

when this earthen back breaks between the crack of two blades

To all my friends who have held me in rage

when fire tears through swallows behind tight grins

I know you

I see you 

I hear you

Although the world is silent around you

I know you

I see you 

I hear you

This poem by Hauntie highlights the way friendships can be a primary source of support. Our best friends are often the people who are there for us during the most difficult times. Here, the author of the poem is reassuring her friends that she is prepared to provide them with the same care and compassion that her friends provided her during past challenges. 

Support options for relationship, love, and friendship challenges

Whether you struggle to make friends or are living through a loss, feeling lonely can be challenging. Studies show that loneliness has a moderate effect on depression. If you can't relate to the emotions about friendship in these poems or sense that you're struggling to cope with a friendship-related challenge, consider reaching out to a licensed therapist. 

If you face barriers to seeking professional support, like cost or distance, you can also try an online therapy platform like BetterHelp. Many people with depression may find it challenging to get out of bed, let alone make friends. With online therapy, you can meet with a qualified counselor from home. Some people who have participated in online treatment found it easier to talk to a therapist from behind a screen than in person. 

Research shows that online therapy is effective for treating depression, too. One review found that online therapy may be more effective at treating depression than in-person therapy and that participants were equally as satisfied with online and in-person treatment.