Famous Friendship Poems

Famous Friendship Poems

Classic Popular Poetry for Best Friends

Most friendships only last for a particular phase of our lives. When that developmental period is over, the friendship may dissolve. For a friendship to last a lifetime there must be something really special between you. There must be a connection that transcends time and space. This kind of a friendship also takes a certain flexibility. People change throughout their lifetimes and they must continue to search for commonalities between themselves if they expect their friendship to endure.

15 Poems about Friendship by Famous Poets

  1. 1. Alone

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    Everyone needs people beside them through the journey of life. It's not meant to be something to do alone. Even the richest people who are able to buy whatever they need still need people to walk along with them, or they will begin to feel lonely. No amount of money is able to buy the support and care of others. We learn from this poem by Maya Angelou how important it is to develop strong relationships.

    Lying, thinking
    Last night
    How to find my soul a home
    Where water is not thirsty
    And bread loaf is not stone
    I came up with one thing
    And I don’t believe I’m wrong
    That nobody,
    But nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

    Alone, all alone
    Nobody, but nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

    There are some millionaires
    With money they can't use
    Their wives run round like banshees
    Their children sing the blues
    They've got expensive doctors
    To cure their hearts of stone.
    But nobody
    No, nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

    Alone, all alone
    Nobody, but nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

    Now if you listen closely
    I'll tell you what I know
    Storm clouds are gathering
    The wind is gonna blow
    The race of man is suffering
    And I can hear the moan,
    'Cause nobody,
    But nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

    Alone, all alone
    Nobody, but nobody
    Can make it out here alone.

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  3. 2. To One In Sorrow

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    In the poem "To One in Sorrow," Grace Noll Crowell offers solace and empathy to a grieving friend. They express their willingness to enter the friend's world of sorrow, extending a comforting hand and understanding. The speaker acknowledges their own experience with a similar sorrow, emphasizing their ability to comprehend the friend's pain. The poem highlights the importance of companionship and shared understanding during times of grief, emphasizing the power of empathy and the healing nature of tears.

    Let me come in where you are weeping, friend,
    And let me take your hand.
    I, who have known a sorrow such as yours,
    Can understand.

    Let me come in - I would be very still
    Beside you in your grief;
    I would not bid you cease your weeping, friend,
    Tears can bring relief.

    Let me come in - I would only breathe a prayer,
    And hold your hand,
    For I have known a sorrow such as yours,
    And understand.

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  5. 3. The Power Of The Dog

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    Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) had a special bond with his dogs. In this poem, he shares that a dog’s loyalty and devotion brings a man much joy, but a dog also has the power to break a man’s heart when its life comes to an end. There is a strong sense of structure with the varying repetition of, “Giving your heart to a dog to tear.”

    There is sorrow enough in the natural way
    From men and women to fill our day;
    And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
    Why do we always arrange for more?
    Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
    Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

    Buy a pup and your money will buy
    Love unflinching that cannot lie—
    Perfect passion and worship fed
    By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
    Nevertheless it is hardly fair
    To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

    When the fourteen years which Nature permits
    Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
    And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
    To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
    Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
    But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.

    When the body that lived at your single will,
    With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
    When the spirit that answered your every mood
    Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
    You will discover how much you care,
    And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

    We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
    When it comes to burying Christian clay.
    Our loves are not given, but only lent,
    At compound interest of cent per cent.
    Though it is not always the case, I believe,
    That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
    For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
    A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
    So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
    Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

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  6. 4. Hug O' War

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    Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) wove lessons into his poems for children. In Hug O' War, he shares the importance of showing kindness to others instead of trying to overpower them.

    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

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  7. 5. Old Friends

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    It’s wonderful to have new friends, but old friends are the ones we want by our side during hard times because their friendship has been tried and true. Those friends understand us unlike anyone else because their devotion has stood the test of time. The dialect used in this poem gives a down to earth feel and informal tone. The author, Edgar Guest (1881-1959) was known as The People’s Poet.

    I do not say new friends are not considerate and true,
    Or that their smiles ain't genuine, but still I'm tellin' you
    That when a feller's heart is crushed and achin' with the pain,
    And teardrops come a-splashin' down his cheeks like summer rain,
    Becoz his grief an' loneliness are more than he can bear,
    Somehow it's only old friends, then, that really seem to care.
    The friends who've stuck through thick an' thin, who've known you, good an' bad,
    Your faults an' virtues, an' have seen the struggles you have had,
    When they come to you gentle-like an' take your hand an' say:
    'Cheer up! we're with you still,' it counts, for that's the old friends' way.

    The new friends may be fond of you for what you are today;
    They've only known you rich, perhaps, an' only seen you gay;
    You can't tell what's attracted them; your station may appeal;
    Perhaps they smile on you because you're doin' something real;
    But old friends who have seen you fail, an' also seen you win,
    Who've loved you either up or down, stuck to you, thick or thin,
    Who knew you as a budding youth, an' watched you start to climb,
    Through weal an' woe, still friends of yours an' constant all the time,
    When trouble comes an' things go wrong, I don't care what you say,
    They are the friends you'll turn to, for you want the old friends' way.

    The new friends may be richer, an' more stylish, too, but when
    Your heart is achin' an' you think your sun won't shine again,
    It's not the riches of new friends you want, it's not their style,
    It's not the airs of grandeur then, it's just the old friend's smile,
    The old hand that has helped before, stretched out once more to you,
    The old words ringin' in your ears, so sweet an', Oh, so true!
    The tenderness of folks who know just what your sorrow means,
    These are the things on which, somehow, your spirit always leans.
    When grief is poundin' at your breast — the new friends disappear
    An' to the old ones tried an' true, you turn for aid an' cheer.

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  8. 6. The Two Kinds Of People

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    In "The Two Kinds of People" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, she divides humanity into two groups: lifters and leaners. The lifters are those who actively help and support others, while the leaners rely on others for assistance. The poem challenges readers to reflect on their role and urges them to become lifters, making a positive impact on the world.

    There are two kinds of people on earth to-day;
         Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.

    Not the sinner and saint, for it’s well understood,
         The good are half bad and the bad are half good.

    Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man’s wealth,
         You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

    Not the humble and proud, for in life’s little span,
         Who puts on vain airs is not counted a man.

    Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years
         Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.

    No; the two kinds of people on earth I mean,
         Are the people who lift and the people who lean.

    Wherever you go, you will find the earth’s masses
         Are always divided in just these two classes.

    And, oddly enough, you will find, too, I ween,
         There’s only one lifter to twenty who lean.

    In which class are you? Are you easing the load
         Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?

    Or are you a leaner, who lets others share
         Your portion of labor, and worry and care?

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  9. 7. Us Two

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    In this poem, A.A. Milne (1882-1956), the creator of Winnie the Pooh, shows that having a friend by your side provides strength and courage. It also removes the fear we experience when we are alone. This is a narrative poem that tells a story.

    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.

    "What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
    ("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
    "I think it ought to be twenty-two."
    "Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
    "It wasn't an easy sum to do,
    But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
    "That's what it is," said Pooh.

    "Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
    "Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
    We crossed the river and found a few-
    "Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
    "As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
    That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
    "That's what they are," said Pooh.

    "Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
    "That's right," said Pooh to Me.
    "I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
    And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
    Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

    "I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
    "I'm never afraid with you."

    So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
    There's always Pooh and Me.
    "What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
    "If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
    It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
    Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.

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    Well my name is Rahma and my best friend is called Innocent. We have been friends for 10 years now since I was in primary school. He was good at math, and I was great in English. Our...

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  10. 8. The Arrow And The Song

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    Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived from 1807-1882. During this time, he traveled a lot and learned various languages. In this poem, Longfellow compares the arrow to life, and the songs are compared to feelings. Even though songs (feelings) are unseen, they are still real. The arrow could also be compared to negative words shot from our mouths, and the song could be joyful words shared with others.

    I shot an arrow into the air,
    It fell to earth, I knew not where;
    For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
    Could not follow it in its flight.

    I breathed a song into the air,
    It fell to earth, I knew not where;
    For who has sight so keen and strong,
    That it can follow the flight of song?

    Long, long afterward, in an oak
    I found the arrow, still unbroke;
    And the song, from beginning to end,
    I found again in the heart of a friend.

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  11. 9. To One Who Pledged Her Friendship

    • By Freeman E. Miller

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    Freeman Edwin Miller (1864-1951) was Oklahoma's first poet laureate. In "To One Who Pledged Her Friendship" the poet expresses gratitude for the rarity of true friendship in a world filled with deceit. The poet acknowledges the value of having just one faithful and trustworthy friend, considering it a blessing. The use of contrast between the "false world" and the sincerity of friendship underscores the significance of this connection. The poem's straightforward language and rhyme scheme contribute to its heartfelt and sincere tone. The poet finds contentment and solace in the belief that the recipient of the poem's affectionate words is that one true friend, emphasizing the preciousness of their bond.

    Within this false world we may count ourselves blest,
        If we have but one friend who is faithful and true;
    And so in your friendship contented I'll rest,
        And believe I have found that one blessing in you.

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  12. 10. A Poison Tree

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    This poem by William Blake (1757-1827 London) depicts the value of not holding bad feelings inside. In the poem, he suggests that sharing your bad feelings with the one you are angry about will cause the ill will to disappear. On the other hand, holding a grudge inside will only make it grow more powerful. The poem ends with a murder in a garden.

    Analysis of Form and Technique

    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.

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  13. 11. A Dog Has Died

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    Anyone who has ever had and lost a pet will be able to relate to this poem by Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). When people pass away, a eulogy is usually shared at the funeral to talk very highly of that person and all that will be remembered. This poem could be considered a form of a eulogy but for a pet. The specific poetic form is called an elegy, which is a poem of reflection that can also show lament for someone who has passed away.

    My dog has died.
    I buried him in the garden
    next to a rusted old machine.

    Some day I'll join him right there,
    but now he's gone with his shaggy coat,
    his bad manners and his cold nose,
    and I, the materialist, who never believed
    in any promised heaven in the sky
    for any human being,
    I believe in a heaven I'll never enter.
    Yes, I believe in a heaven for all dogdom
    where my dog waits for my arrival
    waving his fan-like tail in friendship.

    Ai, I'll not speak of sadness here on earth,
    of having lost a companion
    who was never servile.
    His friendship for me, like that of a porcupine
    withholding its authority,
    was the friendship of a star, aloof,
    with no more intimacy than was called for,
    with no exaggerations:
    he never climbed all over my clothes
    filling me full of his hair or his mange,
    he never rubbed up against my knee
    like other dogs obsessed with sex.

    No, my dog used to gaze at me,
    paying me the attention I need,
    the attention required
    to make a vain person like me understand
    that, being a dog, he was wasting time,
    but, with those eyes so much purer than mine,
    he'd keep on gazing at me
    with a look that reserved for me alone
    all his sweet and shaggy life,
    always near me, never troubling me,
    and asking nothing.

    Ai, how many times have I envied his tail
    as we walked together on the shores of the sea
    in the lonely winter of Isla Negra
    where the wintering birds filled the sky
    and my hairy dog was jumping about
    full of the voltage of the sea's movement:
    my wandering dog, sniffing away
    with his golden tail held high,
    face to face with the ocean's spray.

    Joyful, joyful, joyful,
    as only dogs know how to be happy
    with only the autonomy
    of their shameless spirit.

    There are no good-byes for my dog who has died,
    and we don't now and never did lie to each other.

    So now he's gone and I buried him,
    and that's all there is to it.

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  14. 12. A Time To Talk

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    This poem is about the value of friendship and priorities. Even while working, take the time to chat with your friend; the work will still be there when you come back. Friends and family are what's important in life.

    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.

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  15. 13. Friendship After Love

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    In this poem, the poet, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, describes the frustration of former lovers who try to maintain their friendship. While they no longer wish to go back to the pain of their incompatible love, friendship after the intensity of love leaves them feeling "incomplete" and with "a sense of loss."

    After the fierce midsummer all ablaze
    Has burned itself to ashes, and expires
    In the intensity of its own fires,
    There come the mellow, mild, St. Martin days
    Crowned with the calm of peace, but sad with haze.
    So after Love has led us, till he tires
    Of his own throes, and torments, and desires,
    Comes large-eyed Friendship: with a restful gaze.
    He beckons us to follow, and across
    Cool verdant vales we wander free from care.
    Is it a touch of frost lies in the air?
    Why are we haunted with a sense of loss?
    We do not wish the pain back, or the heat;
    And yet, and yet, these days are incomplete.

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  16. 14. Thank You Friend

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    In the poem "Thank You Friend," Grace Noll Crowell expresses deep gratitude and appreciation for their friend's presence in their life. Through heartfelt words, the poem highlights the enriching and comforting impact the friend has had. The speaker acknowledges the friend's support, describing their love and friendship as invaluable and beyond adequate expression. The poem concludes with a heartfelt blessing, emphasizing the cherished bond between the speaker and their precious friend.

    I never came to you, my friend,
    and went away without
    some new enrichment of the heart;
    More faith and less of doubt,
    more courage in the days ahead.
    And often in great need coming to you,
    I went away comforted indeed.
    How can I find the shining word,
    the glowing phrase that tells all that
    your love has meant to me,
    all that your friendship spells?
    There is no word, no phrase for
    you on whom I so depend.
    All I can say to you is this,
    God bless you precious friend.

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  17. 15. I Knew A Man By Sight

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    Henry David Thoreau started his writing career by writing nature poems. Ralph Waldo Emerson became Thoreau's mentor and was a caretaker of his home for a period of time. This poem shows how two complete strangers can become the best of friends.

    I knew a man by sight,
    A blameless wight,
    Who, for a year or more,
    Had daily passed my door,
    Yet converse none had had with him.

    I met him in a lane,
    Him and his cane,
    About three miles from home,
    Where I had chanced to roam,
    And volumes stared at him, and he at me.

    In a more distant place
    I glimpsed his face,
    And bowed instinctively;
    Starting he bowed to me,
    Bowed simultaneously, and passed along.

    Next, in a foreign land
    I grasped his hand,
    And had a social chat,
    About this thing and that,
    As I had known him well a thousand years.

    Late in a wilderness
    I shared his mess,
    For he had hardships seen,
    And I a wanderer been;
    He was my bosom friend, and I was his.

    And as, methinks, shall all,
    Both great and small,
    That ever lived on earth,
    Early or late their birth,
    Stranger and foe, one day each other know.

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