Will you write 13 words for your best friend?
A fill-in-the-blank poem, plus a poetry party and zine!
I’m going to be honest.
Finding the right words to express our feelings can be tricky at best, especially big complex feelings like love. Maybe the idea of telling anyone how much you care about them seems cringey, risky, or embarrassing — doubly so when that person is “just” a friend. Now, let’s crank the awkwardness up another notch by doing all of this with poetry that you wrote.
But wait! Don’t run away yet! That resistance is totally normal. We all have voices in our minds and hearts saying we should keep quiet, insisting that we will mess it up. The secret is learning how to block out our inner critic’s fear mongering and embrace our earnest, expressive selves instead. This is no small feat, but it is absolutely essential if we want to deepen our friendships…luckily you don’t have to do it alone.
We’re hosting a virtual poetry workshop focused entirely on friendship! Join Erin and me on Wednesday, May 7, at 2 PM EDT for a one-hour CreativeMornings FieldTrip. It’s free to RSVP and you’ll get a recording sent straight to your inbox. Oh, and there is no previous poetry experience or artistic ability required! All are welcome, I promise it will warm your heart.
If you’re still on the fence, here’s what someone at our last poetry party had to say about the experience:
I already loved the friend I wrote the poem for, but writing it made me appreciate her and our friendship even more—and it made me want to write poems for all my friends.
Your Forevers focus: Write a thirteen-word poem for your friend
One of the ways we tackle big creative fears is by using simple tools like ’s fill-in-the-blank poetry prompts. There are dozens of templates in his book The Magic Words, including one for a friendship poem. It’s only thirteen words, set up like a Mad Lib, and it packs a ton of imagery into a very small package.
A Friendship Poem for (Your Friend’s First Name)
You and I are (noun) and (noun).
You and I are (verb)ing and (verb)ing.
When I am deep in (noun),
you come to me like a (verb)ing (noun.)
When you are lost in (noun),
I go to you like a (verb)ing (noun).
Let the world say everything is (adjective).
I would bring you (noun) if you were (adjective).
To celebrate our love of friendship poetry, we asked three of our favorite Substackers to fill this prompt out for their best friends and compiled their responses into a zine! Print a copy, add your own poem, and give the completed zine to your friend. Bonus points: post your poem as a comment to inspire others!
Featured Friendship Poems by Three of Our Favorite Substackers
is an entrepreneur, creative leader, speaker, and upcoming(!) debut author. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Piera for several years, and have seen first-hand how she sprinkles play and joy into every aspect of her life. (Case in point: scroll down for a super cute video of her and Liz going on a friendship writing retreat!) I highly recommend her newsletter,
, for low-stakes creative prompts and ways to practice a playful mindset.A Friendship Poem for Liz by Piera Gelardi You and I are brownies and journals You and I are scribbling and snort-laughing. When I am deep in spirals, you come to me like a flashlighting mirror. When you are lost in frustration, I go to you like a listening balance-beam. Let the world say everything is impossible. I would bring you songs if you were melody-less.
is a writer, educator, and papercut artist. Check out her book Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break and keep an eye out for Cold: Lessons of Place, Presence, Practice in 2026. The
newsletter is chock full of inspiration to keep your inner artistic spark lit, plus you get to see Anna’s gorgeous artworks like the one below of bathers wading into the water.A Friendship Poem for Roshni and Gretchen by Anna Brones You and I are kelp and seals. You and I are swimming and floating. When I am deep in an ebb, you come to me like a cascading tide. When you are adrift in fathoms, I go to you like a guiding compass. Let the world say everything is blustery. I would bring you a moonsnail if you were lost.
is a speaker, journalist, and author who explores the many facets of friendship through the lens of pop culture. We’ll be taking a deep dive into her book Modern Friendship later this month! Head over to her newsletter,
, for friendship-related content ranging from wise advice to silly ‘bad friend’ bingo cards.A Poem for Alexis by Anna Goldfarb You and I are a martini and olives. You and I are laughing and dreaming. When I am deep in mud, you come to me like a helping bird. When you are lost in the void, I go to you like a caring companion. Let the world say everything is wild. I would bring you wine if you were lonely.
Weren’t those just delightful? If you want more friendship-love inspiration and easy activities like this, RSVP to the poetry party, and remember to invite your bestie! We’ll see you on Wednesday. 💛
Thank you so much for including me!!! xoxo