Friends can share your interests, be your closest confidantes, and know you better than anyone else — that’s why poems that revolve around friendship can be especially deep and significant. Check out these classic friendship poems from esteemed writers.
Our best friends provide comfort by offering their ears to listen and their shoulders to cry on. They give us a fresh perspective on life, make us laugh when we’re feeling down, and help us grow as people. Reading poems about friends lets us reflect on some of the most important people in our lives. After reading the famous friendship poems below, you may want to send one to a pal to let them how much they mean to you. Or — better yet — maybe you’ll become inspired to write (and send) poems about friends yourself!
5 Famous Friendship Poems
- “A Time to Talk” by Robert Frost. Robert Frost is an internationally recognized American poet. Though Frost is best known for his nature poems, he also wrote a number of friendship poems, including “A Time to Talk.” This poem is about making time to visit a friend, even when life gets busy. He writes: “When a friend calls to me from the road … I don’t stand still and look around … I go up to the stone wall / For a friendly visit.”
- “A Poison Tree” by William Blake. William Blake was an English poet born in the middle of the 18th century. His poem “A Poison Tree” explores how dangerous it can be to keep your anger toward someone bottled up inside. Tell your friend what’s bothering you and you’re likely to feel better, the poem argues.
- “A Friend” by Gillian Jones. The modern poet Gillian Jones wrote the poem “A Friend” for her friend Ian. She details all of the wonderful qualities that true friends possess. The last and most vital point she makes reflects the “golden rule” (a.k.a. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”). She reminds us that we need to be good friends to have good friends when she writes: “Do not expect to just take and hold / Give friendship back, it is pure gold.”
- “Friends For Life” by Angelica N. Brisset. Do you ever talk with a pal when things get hard? There’s nothing like the bond that you have with a close friend. This friendship poem, “Friends For Life,” by Angelica N. Brisset, focuses on the fact that best friends are our ultimate supporters — they’re there for us whenever we need them the most. She writes, “We are Friends / I got your back / You got mine / I’ll help you out / Anytime!”
- “Sonnet 104” by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare, famous for plays like Hamlet and Macbeth, was also an accomplished poet. One of his poems, “Sonnet 104,” talks about how friendship transcends time — in other words, enduring friendship remains intact despite the “process of the seasons.” For Shakespeare, true friendship lasts, just like his poems about friends, which are still read about 400 years after they were written!
Needs some inspiration and advice to start your own friendship poems? Check out this article on Writing a Poem About Friends or Family to get started. When you're ready to share, consider posting your poem on Power Poetry to connect with a community of supportive poets and peers!
Hear more on the topic of friendship and relationships from The Jed Foundation, a trusted partner working to promote mental and emotional health.
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