To you, my friend, my faraway friend
The one I may never meet
I want to take this moment to say
Why your friendship just can't be beat
We communicate with letters
Or postcards via mail
Your presence in my post box
Is joyousness without fail
There are far less expectations
That proximity often demands
We just write and respond to each other
The work is all in our hands
No need to clear our schedules
No doubts if time flies by
Between expected visits or calls
When we're left to wonder why
It doesn't take long to write a letter
It doesn't cost more than a card
And a stamp or a bit of paper
I can afford this more by far
I just have to go to the post box
I don't have to drive alone
To a neighbouring town or city
And take hours away from home
When I write a letter
I can freely share my thoughts
I'm never interrupted
So I rarely feel distraught
So I never get to hug you
I can't cry or laugh with you
But your card and letter are a balm to my soul
An embrace I can always hang on to
My faraway friend, the more attached we get
The dream is always there
Maybe in our travels, that we
Someday a hug could share
But if that day never comes
Remember your value, please
Your friendship was never second best
You are always a true friend to me
© Ruby Neumann
Poet’s Note: (Written January 2, 2026). This poem is written not just to convey the joys of faraway friends, but also to understand that close in-person friendships come with different challenges. I don’t want to imply that I would rather just have faraway friends, but somedays those friendships feel less far away than the friends that are geographically closer, but scheduling conflicts and time restraints often make in person visits and long phone calls a harder to do.
I have a lot less expectations on my faraway friends. Maybe that is why it is easier to want more of them. I can always add another penpal on my address list. It’s not as easy to add another girlfriend into my life.
