Friends and family are important to our wellbeing. However, there are a plethora of poems about family members so I decided to focus on the harder task: poems about friendship. I’ve compiled a list of 20 friendship poems in honor of those people who keep the loneliness away. These poems come from a variety of eras and viewpoints and include themes of friends lost, friends to the world, and also bad friends. This list is by no means exhaustive; it’s a list of poems that I liked that brought out different aspects of friendship. Some friendship poems are longer than others, so I included the first few lines but you’ll have to go to the link to read the rest of the poem.
The Best Friendship Poems
Having a Coke with You by Frank O’Hara
Having a Coke with You could be interpreted as romantic love but I always read it as a Sharing a Coke with You, Friend. or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona partly because in your orange shirt you look like a better happier St. Sebastian partly because of my love for you, partly because of your love for yoghurt…”
A Love Letter to My Best Friend by Andrew Warner
This video is a beautiful letter to a friend about mental illness.
Tug o’ War by Shel Silverstein
I love the silliness of Shel Silverstein and all of his poems. “I will not play at tug o’ war. I’d rather play at hug o’ war, Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles And rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins, And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins”
A poision tree by William Blake
Because William Blake. “I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I waterd it in fears Night & morning with my tears; And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine, And into my garden stole, When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning glad I see My foe outstretchd beneath the tree.”
Us Two by A.A. Milne
Also, a list of friendship poems would be remiss without Winnie the Pooh. “Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh, There’s always Pooh and Me. Whatever I do, he wants to do, “Where are you going today?” says Pooh: “Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too. Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he. “Let’s go together,” says Pooh…” (Read more at the link)
To all my friends by May Yang
“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…” (Read more at the link)
Your Catfish Friend by Richard Brautigan
A charming poem about a person contemplating being a catfish in a pond. “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” (Read more at the link)
The Friend By Matt Hart
This poem reminds me of my childhood summers in Chicago. “The friend lives half in the grass and half in the chocolate cake, walks over to your house in the bashful light of November, or the forceful light of summer. You put your hand on her shoulder, or you put your hand on his shoulder.” (Read more at the link)
Friends to the World
Here are two poems about friends with people we don’t know, our fellow humankind.
I Want to Apologize By Rupi Kuar
I included this one since I feel it speaks to friendship with women. The Pin
Red Brocade by Naomi Shibab Nye
A poem about the importance of friendship with guests. “The Arabs used to say, When a stranger appears at your door, feed him for three days before asking who he is…” (Read more at the link)
Lost Friends
The next set of poems are about friends who are lost to death or time.
Poem by Langston Hughes
I love the beautiful simplicity of this poem. “I loved my friend He went away from me There’s nothing more to say The poem ends, Soft as it began- I loved my friend.”
Overnight by John Yau
“In Memory of Paul Violi (1944–2011) I did not realize that you were fading from sight I don’t believe I could have helped with the transition You most likely would have made a joke of it Did you hear about the two donkeys stuck in an airshaft” (Read more at the link)
A Walk in the Cemetery by Gary Soto
“In memory of David Ruenzel, 1954–2014 I searched for twenty minutes For my murdered friend’s grave, A small, white marker, # 356 it reads. He is not This number, or any number…” (Read more at the link)
To My Oldest Friend, Whose Silence Is Like a Death by Lloyd Schwartz
“In today’s paper, a story about our high school drama teacher evicted from his Carnegie Hall rooftop apartment made me ache to call you—the only person I know who’d still remember his talent, his good looks, his self- absorption. We’d laugh (at what haven’t we laughed?), then not laugh, wondering what became of him. But I can’t call…” (Read more at the link)
Hoping to Hear from a Former Friend By Margaret Hasse
“Is it you on the other end of the line hesitant to speak to me, pausing for a moment to register my hello so you know my number stayed the same, my last name remains mine?” (Read more at the link)
Friendship Poems about our best canine friends
Since I am a dog lover and dog is humankind’s best animal friend, I naturally had to include some poems on the topic. Note: some are sad poems about lost friends.
A Dog Has Died By Pablo Neruda
Any excuse for Neruda. “My dog has died. I buried him in the garden next to a rusted old machine. Some day I’ll join him right there…” (Read more at the link)
Dog Music By Paul Zimmer
I can attest personally that dogs can be singers (especially when I’m playing my alto saxophone). “Amongst dogs are listeners and singers. My big dog sang with me so purely, puckering her ruffled lips into an O, beginning with small, swallowing sounds like Coltrane musing, then rising to power…” (Read more at the link)
Worst Friends
Now some poems about terrible friends since we’ve all been there and done that. Hopefully these will serve as warnings for us in the future.
How to Murder Your Best Friend by Anonymous
“With poisoned apple, comb, ring, garment, word in ear How heavy she’ll be when I carry her stretched on my arms…” (Read more at the link)
My First Best Friend By Jack Prelutsky
“My first best friend is Awful Ann— she socked me in the eye. My second best is Sneaky Sam— he tried to swipe my pie. My third best friend is Max the Rat— he trampled on my toes. My fourth best friend is Nasty Nell— She almost broke my nose…” (Read more at the link)
The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
I had to have something from Lewis Carroll on this list. An important poem about not making the wrong kind of friends. “The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright — And this was odd, because it was The middle of the night…” (Read more at the link) Read Next: 58 Beautiful Love Poems These are twenty friendship poems that look at different aspects of friendship. Want more poetry? Check out this post on short poems and this other post on love poems.
