25 Poems About Friendship Turning Into Love

It happened.

You fell in love with a platonic friend, and now you’re ready to express your expanding feelings.

There’s only one problem: You’re not a wordsmith.

The last poem you wrote was on a first-grade Valentine for Mom.

Sure, she may have kept it on the fridge for over 20 years, but Keats, Yeats, or Cummings you are not.

Fear not!

This is where we swoop in and save the day with a curated list of 25 friends to lover poems.

They say love is a “many splendored thing” — and if the object of your affection is also feeling sparks, the passion and connection can be particularly intense when falling in love with a close friend.

Check out these 25 poems that capture the feeling.

1. Sonnet 104: To me, fair friend, you never can be old by William Shakespeare

To me, fair friend, you never can be old,

For as you were when first your eye I eyed,

Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold

Have from the forests shook three summers’ pride,

Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turned

In process of the seasons have I seen,

Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burned,

Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.

Ah, yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand,

Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived;

So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand,

Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived:

For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred:

Ere you were born was beauty’s summer dead.

2. Bonds of Friendship by Craig Burkholder

From the day that I first knew you,

Your heart was pure and kind;

Your smile was sweet and innocent,

Your wit was well refined.

The sparkle in your eyes was keen,

Your friendship fast and real;

Soft words were your virtue,

And humor your appeal.

We grew as friends together,

We laughed and shared our dreams;

Along the way crush or two,

Went unrevealed, it seems.

As years rolled on, our paths were split,

Our roads went separate ways;

We each pursued our interests,

That occupied our days.

We soon forgot our youthful bliss,

Of tender carefree years;

We didn’t talk or keep in touch,

Throughout life’s pain and tears.

Then my darkest hour came,

And tried me to my core;

To save my heart from ruin,

I closed and locked the door.

Then out of every nowhere,

With precise directed cue;

An old familiar smile,

Came slowly into view.

Although much time was gone,

And the die of fate long cast;

It was as if we hadn’t missed,

A second of the past.

You listened with attentive care,

And reassured my mind;

That loving hearts are still alive,

With purpose and design.

Deep inside I’ve locked way,

Emotions yet untold;

As time goes on, and bonds grow strong,

They will all unfold.

So thank you, friend, for taking time,

To demonstrate your love;

It’s yet another blessing that,

I’m undeserving of.

3. I Should Not Dare to Leave My Friend by Emily Dickinson

I should not dare to leave my friend,

Because—because if he should die

While I was gone—and I—too late—

Should reach the Heart that wanted me—

If I should disappoint the eyes

That hunted—hunted so—to see—

And could not bear to shut until

They ‘noticed’ me—they noticed me—

If I should stab the patient faith

So sure I’d come—so sure I’d come—

It listening—listening—went to sleep—

Telling my tardy name—

My Heart would wish it broke before—

Since breaking then—since breaking then—

Were useless as next morning’s sun—

Where midnight frosts—had lain!

4. My World from wordstrum.com

When did this happen

When did you turn

Into something so special

Into someone I’d love

The words you speak

Now feels so different

Lacerated with love

The closer you are, the faster my heart beats

And now we are inseparable

Formed this connected

With the bond of love

My friend you were once

Now you are more, now you are my world.

5. In Paris with You by James Fenton

Don’t talk to me of love. I’ve had an earful

And I get tearful when I’ve downed a drink or two.

I’m one of your talking wounded.

I’m a hostage. I’m maroonded.

But I’m in Paris with you.

Yes I’m angry at the way I’ve been bamboozled

And resentful at the mess I’ve been through.

I admit I’m on the rebound

And I don’t care where are we bound.

I’m in Paris with you.

Do you mind if we do not go to the Louvre

If we say sod off to sodding Notre Dame,

If we skip the Champs Elysées

And remain here in this sleazy

Old hotel room

Doing this and that

To what and whom

Learning who you are,

Learning what I am.

Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of Paris,

The little bit of Paris in our view.

There’s that crack across the ceiling

And the hotel walls are peeling

And I’m in Paris with you.

Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of Paris.

I’m in Paris with the slightest thing you do.

I’m in Paris with your eyes, your mouth,

I’m in Paris with… all points south.

Am I embarrassing you?

I’m in Paris with you.

6. The Arrow and The Song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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.

7. You Are My World by Chelsea

You’re the thought that starts each morning,

the conclusion to each day.

I envision you in all that I do

and everything I say.

You’re the smile on my face,

the sparkle in my eye,

the warmth inside my heart,

the fullness in my life.

The only hand that’s laced to mine,

the coat upon my back.

My friend and love, you have my heart;

I will never turn back.

You’re the dimple in my cheek,

the constant tingle in my soul,

the voice that makes me weak.

You’re the one who shields the cold.

You’re all I’ve wanted,

all that I need.

You’re all I dream of,

You mean so much to me.

9. You and I by Astuti

You and I are like the tributaries of a river,

We look alike, flow different

And yet together, complete each other.

You add to my strength

And together we strengthen our growth.

You’re my best friend in the truest form

And together we shine in the brightest form.

10. Friendship After Love by Ella Wheeler Cox

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.

11. Will You Ever? by Kaitlyn M. 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

Completes and fulfills every part of me.

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12. I Want to Apologize by Rupi Kaur

i want to apologize to all the women i have called beautiful

before i’ve called them intelligent or brave

i am sorry i made it sound as though

something as simple as what you’re born with

is all you have to be proud of

when you have broken mountains with your wit

from now on i will say things like

you are resilient, or you are extraordinary

not because i don’t think you’re beautiful

but because i need you to know

you are more than that.

13. Our Friendship by Marsha M. Griffith

As I think of our friendship, I begin to see

Mere words can’t describe what you mean to me.

When this cold, hard world has me lonesome and blue,

I look up to see my angel, my sweet angel, you.

You dry the tears that fall from my eyes.

You bring me sunshine to brighten my sky.

You rescue me when I’m scared and alone

And take my hand to lead me home.

No matter the miles that keep us apart,

We’re always together in each other’s hearts.

Sometimes we take for granted, I fear,

The ones who are so close and dear.

We get so caught up in life and things we must do.

Sometimes we forget to stop and say I love you.

If ever you felt I forgot or didn’t care,

Let me stop right now; my true feelings I’ll share.

You’re the sun in my sky, the bed where I lie.

You’re the home where I’m safe, the field where I play.

You’re everything I am, everything I do.

So what I am saying is I LOVE YOU!

15. Falling for a Friend by Fool of Forgiveness

it’s that time when your heart stops

when you don’t want it to

when your breathing seems too quick

when you feeling yourself turn red

and you finally understand.

that you’re falling for someone

that you don’t want to

falling so badly

you wish they’d catch you

but you’re too scared to form the words

16. Lovers and Friends by John Mark Green and Christy Ann Martine

If I had it to do

all over again,

I would choose you

as my lover and friend.

Life twists and turns

but our love remains true,

as if from the start

our hearts somehow knew.

Just like the river

is called to the sea,

forever with you

I am destined to be.

17. Friendship of Loves by Peter Stavropoulis

What’s a friendship my love?

It’s when you promise me your company

And keep your promise.

It’s when we joke about each other

And laugh at ourselves.

It’s when we know we’re not perfect

And accept each other as we are.

It’s when we don’t expect too much

And are happy with what we are given.

It’s when we value each other’s friendship

Above all else.

18. Of All the Things by Alexandra Vasiliu

Of all the things

I can do

on this Earth,

I just want to build

a bridge

from my heart to yours.

19. Some Nights by Michael Bliss

Some nights,

alone, he thinks of her.

and some nights,

alone, she thinks of him.

Some nights

these thoughts,

separated by miles

and time zones,

occur at the same

objective moment,

and they are connected

without ever knowing it.

20. You Are Not Alone by Clairel Estevez

If there ever comes a day

When the moon hides from your eyes;

Luminous memories of us together,

Will soar like a flock of fireflies.

If seawater drowns your pupils,

When sadness invades your heart,

My hands be the handkerchief

That so gentle, dry your eyes.

When your midnight thoughts asunder

Staring at wishes from afar,

Know I’m never out of reaching –

I will always be by your side.

21. I Love You More Than Just a Friend by Bradley Lester

I love you more than just a friend

Although this may be wrong

My feelings that I have for you

Are real and true and strong

I wont deny the love I have

I cannot tell a lie

I’ve loved you since we met last year

The days that followed by

I love you still I think of you

Each passing of each day

I yearn to be with you again

To tell you it’s okay

I love you more than just a friend

And we may never be

Together walking hand in hand

Just you, your love and me

22. I Acquiesce to Frienship by Connie Marcum Wong

Your sensuous eyes render me a fool.

How clumsy I become within your mien.

I stutter, stumble trying to keep cool

While all the time envisioning a scene

Of you and I together palm in palm

As sun departs behind the hillside’s face,

And in the blush of twilight I feel calm

Enough to kiss your lips with lover’s grace.

My heart would swell if only this were so,

If even in my dreams it would come true,

That you might sense within my smile aglow

The awesome humble love I have for you.

One tiny glance of regard you impart

Would be enough to satisfy my heart.

23. I Love You by Yazmine

I never really knew you,

You were just another friend.

But when I got to know you,

I let my heart unbend.

I couldn’t help past memories,

that would only make me cry.

I had to forget my first love,

and give love another try.

So I’ve fallen in love with you,

and I’ll never let you go.

I love you more than anyone,

I just had to let you know.

And if you ever wonder why,

I don’t know what I’d say.

But I’ll never stop loving you,

each and every day.

My feelings for you will never change,

just know my feelings are true.

Just remember one thing,

I Love You!!!

24. Lucky by Jason Mraz

Do you hear me, I’m talking to you

Across the water across the deep blue ocean

Under the open sky, oh my, baby I’m trying

Boy, I hear you in my dreams

I feel your whisper across the sea

I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard

Lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

They don’t know how long it takes

Waiting for a love like this

Every time we say goodbye

I wish we had one more kiss

I’ll wait for you, I promise you, I will

Lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we’re in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I’m sailing through the sea

To an island where we’ll meet

You’ll hear the music fill the air

I’ll put a flower in your hair

Though the breezes through the trees

Move so pretty you’re all I see

As the world keeps spinning round

You hold me right here right now

Lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

I’m lucky we’re in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

25. Is It Wrong? By Barrie Davenport

Is it wrong to fall in love with you,

A friend I hold so dear?

To step across that unseen line

Into a new frontier.

Is it wrong to be your soulmate

As a friend and lover true?

To hold your secrets in my heart

But want to hold you too.

If it is wrong, then tell me now

And friends we will remain.

But in your eyes, I think I see,

You surely feel the same.

How You Can Use These Poems about Being Friends But Wanting More

What’s the right way to woo someone with poetry? In these digital days, the possibilities are endless.

But don’t underestimate the charm of old-fashioned gestures.

Check out these ideas for disseminating friends’ and lovers’ poems:

Text: Currently, texting is the most common communication method worldwide. So go ahead and send a poem by phone.
Email: Email may not be as convenient as texting, but it gives you more breathing space. Plus, getting sweet emails is quaint and endearing.
DM: If you prefer to slide into people’s DMs, have at it. But understand it’s the least genuine, most suspicious method.
A Happening: Are you a confident theater kid (on the inside) who enjoys a spectacle? Then plan a big, choreographed to-do as you recite the poem; re-enact a scene from “Roxanne” or “Cyrano”; whatever you choose, go big! (Advice: Only do this if you’re sure the other person will be receptive and doesn’t mind the attention.)
Snail Mail: Get a pen, buy a paper card, and access your third-grade penmanship lessons. That’s right! Handwrite a poem, slap on a stamp, and send it via snail mail. It’s romantic.

We hope you found our list of poems about falling in love with a friend helpful. Use them as inspiration to write your own or send one you like. But don’t forget to credit the author — because there’s nothing sexy about plagiarism.

May the romance force be with you!