People have always contended for friendship and poets have written poems to celebrate friendships or express their otherwise emotions about their friendships. Friendship is mostly among unrelated people like schoolmates, neighbors, and colleagues but a relative and siblings are also considered a friend. Some best friendship poems are as follows.
Appearing in 1916, this poem by Robert Frost is one of the best poems about friendship despite having a title not synchronizing with the theme. Although the poem states that he does not pay heed to the call of a friend to have a walk when he shouts to ask his friend ‘What is it?’ The poet, instead, wants to leave the hoe on the “mellow ground” and wants to go for a “friendly visit.” This small desire of the poet to have a friendly visit with his friend has made this poem to be ranked first. Simplicity and precision are the hallmarks of the poem with a short simple incident conveying the profound significance of friendship. Some of the celebrated verses of this poem are as follows.
- I don’t stand still and look around.
- And shout from where I am, “What is it?”
- I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground.
Written by the master, William Shakespeare, this sonnet is known as one of the best friendship poems. Shakespeare directly speaks to his friend, praising his/her beauty and saying that it has been fresh having the features of good seasons, perfumes of the Spring, and beauty of the weather. However, he states that his “Eye may be deceiv’d” as the “age unbred.” The last memorable line celebrates this friendship. However, the interesting thing is the metaphorical comparison of the friend with the beauties of the weather. Some memorable verses of this sonnet are as follows.
- To me, fair friend, you never can be old.
- Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn’ed.
- Ah! Yet doth beauty like a dial-hand.
- Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.
Emblems of Friendship by John Imrie
Another best poem on friendship is ‘Emblems of Friendship’ by a Canadian poet, John Imrie. The beauty of the poem lies in the metaphorical comparison that the poet has made. The poet has called friendship a golden band, equating it with life, and then comparing it with a silken cord, beacon of light, iron shield, and a gift of God. The use of these similes and metaphors has made this poem a celebrated friendship poem. Some of the memorable lines of this poem are as follows. The following verses could be used as quotes.
- Friendship is a golden band.
- Friendship is a beacon-light.
- Friendship is an iron shield.
- Friendship is a gift of God.
Friendship Thoughts by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
This three-stanza poem was written by a theologian, St. Augustine. However, the reason for its popularity lies not in its writer but in its expression of truth on the sacred bond of friendship. St. Augustine is of the view that this passion for love should be “gratuitous” and should not be used for greed that somebody should give things in return. It means that a friend does not love his friend or her friend for love but for money and other favors. Therefore, this is not love at all. He states that a friend should love his/her friend freely and without any mundane greed. Some of its celebrated verses are as follows.
- The love of friendship should be gratuitous.
- You love the gift rather than him.
- A friend should be loved freely for himself / and not for anything himself.
Friends by David V. Bush
This short poem comprising just eight lines and two stanzas by David Bush, a celebrated psychologist, and poet, is an interesting poem about friendship. As the title suggests, it is about friendship and its thematic stress has made this poem included in this list. He states that if two persons have suffered a lot, they are friends even if they are from different races. Similarly, he states that if a person has become kind enough to lift the spirits of another person, he is a true friend of the poet. This simple, precise, and denotative message has made this a beautiful poem about friendship. Some of the celebrated lines of this poem are as follows.
- Ah, friend perhaps we’ve never met.
- We are friends, tho friends in space.
- Why then you are my friend.
Work For Friendship by J. J. Thorne
‘Work for Friendship’ by Thorne is also known as one of the best friendship poems. In the poem, Thorne has beautifully stipulated the duties of friendship that make friendship worth to be pursued. He believes that you must make life true and warm for the sake of friendship. Using religious and grandiose language, he says that “Cursed is he that makes envy” as the base of friendship and praises those who keep a desire and become truthful just for the sake of friendship. In very simple language and six stanzas, the poet advises his readers that they must do whatever they can for the sake of friendship. Some of the memorable lines of this poem are as follows.
- Make life true and warm / For friendship’s sake.
- Speak in praise and speak the truth.
- Love warms and never alarms.
- We will work if it be hard.
A Friend or Two by Wilbur D. Nesbit
This beautiful poem by Wilbur Nesbit is too one of the best friendship poems with its anaphoric stress on “In a friend or two.” The poet means that everybody must have some friends to rely upon or else he would be burdened with troubles and difficulties. Whether a person is living in exile or his own land, he must have a friend. The rhetorical question at the end stresses the fact that a person must have one or two friends. The simplicity and precision of language have further added to the beauty of the poem, making it highly popular. Some of its best verses are as follows.
- There is all of pleasure and all of peace / In a friend or two.
- On native soil or in foreign land / But the world is made – do you understand?
Be A Friend by Edgar A. Guest
This poem by Guest, a British American poem, urges a person to be a friend, the reason that it is included among the best friendship poems. Its popularity lies in its melody through rhyme scheme and four-lined stanzas. The poet has beautifully presented his argument on how to become a good friend. He outlines the features of a good friend that his disposition should be “sunny” and that he should be kind, resilient, tolerant, and forgiving. Using metaphors of story and human passions, Guest highlights the qualities of a good friend. Some of its celebrated verses are as follows.
- Be a friend. You don’t need glory.
- Just a little labor spend / On the duties of a friend.
- Be a friend. The pay is bigger.
Friends by Dr. Rosalie Carter
This beautiful poem by Rosalie Carter presents the quality of a friend who is worthy of friendship in just two stanzas with each having six lines. Calling a friend a gift of God, he states that a friend does not leave his friend during difficult times, neither blames him but keeps on loving him as usual despite these little hiccups. That is why the poet is of the firm belief that only God can send such a loyal, loving, and kindly persistent person. Some of the memorable lines of this poem are as follows.
- But keeps on living just the same.
- To make us good, to make us true.
- But only God can give a friend.
Prized Friendship by Caleb Davis Bradlee
This poem is about a generically specific friend, a prized friend. Calling the friend directly, the poet states that it is a great moment of his life that he prizes the friendship of his friend that extends all weathers and climes, all times and circumstances, and all situations. He asserts that despite their earthly life, they would continue until the end of their lives. He longs to continue the same friendship even before God and with the blessings of Jesus Christ. This religiosity in friendship is unique to Bradlee. Some of the best-known lines of this poem are as follows.
- Your friendship we have prized indeed.
- Long may our lives on earth be spared.
- Nothing shall break our union true! / Father, make it fresh and new, /Through Christ, the Son!