25 Poems About Friendship Turning Into Love (2024)

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.

What's in this post:

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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.

25 Poems About Friendship Turning Into Love

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.

Final Thoughts

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!