Editor's note
Ranking is generated by Storgy's classification model, which scores each poem's thematic depth on this subject relative to the rest of the corpus. The list is re-indexed weekly as new poems enter the public-domain corpus.
Best poems about — Storgy
Faith.
Twenty-five poems, ranked.
25 of the finest public-domain poems about faith, ranked by thematic depth. Scored by Storgy's classification model against the rest of the corpus, and re-indexed weekly as new works enter the canon.
The leading three
01
Death Be Not Proud
John Donne · 1633
“Death Be Not Proud is John Donne's bold challenge to the common belief that death holds great power. He turns the argument on its head: if sleep (essentially a…”
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02
Easter Wings
George Herbert · 1633
“Easter Wings is a brief poem by George Herbert where the speaker converses with God about the fall from grace of humanity — including himself — and acknowledges…”
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03
On Being Brought from Africa to America
Phillis Wheatley · 1773
“A young enslaved woman contemplates her journey from Africa to America, viewing it as a spiritual path toward Christianity. At the same time, she firmly confron…”
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The complete index
- 04
The Divine Image
William Blake · 1789
Blake's poem expresses that the four great virtues — Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love — are not merely attributes of God but also qualities inherent in every human being. Since God ins…
- 05
The Human Abstract
William Blake · 1794
Blake suggests that virtues such as Pity and Mercy arise solely because humans inflict suffering — they aren’t indicators of goodness but evidence that something has gone awry. He…
- 06
The Eolian Harp
Samuel Taylor Coleridge · 1796
A man sits outside his cottage with his wife, Sara, enjoying the soothing sounds of an Aeolian harp—a stringed instrument played by the wind. As he takes in the beauty of the eveni…
- 07
The Destruction of Sennacherib
George Gordon Byron · 1815
A vast Assyrian army advances on Jerusalem, appearing invincible. Yet, by morning, every soldier lies dead without a single sword being drawn. God's angel carries out the silent, i…
- 08
The Rhodora
Ralph Waldo Emerson · 1839
A man comes across a wild flowering shrub known as the Rhodora, blooming all by itself in the woods, with no one else around to appreciate it. This sight prompts him to ponder why…
- 09
Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister
Robert Browning · 1842
A monk in a Spanish monastery is filled with an almost absurd hatred for his fellow brother, Lawrence, who appears to be nothing but kind and devout. Throughout the poem, the speak…
- 10
Good Friday
Christina Rossetti · 1866
In "Good Friday," Christina Rossetti finds herself at the foot of the cross, feeling ashamed for her inability to cry. While even the sun, the moon, and a hardened thief show emoti…
- 11
We Wear the Mask
Paul Laurence Dunbar · 1896
A group of people—Black Americans during Dunbar's era—must conceal their true pain behind cheerful, agreeable expressions just to navigate a hostile environment. This mask is a per…
- 12
Cotton-Wool
Alfred Noyes · 1907
Alfred Noyes advises children to disregard the so-called "clever" individuals in the world — those who twist words, show off, and make genuine goodness seem boring. He suggests tha…
- 13
Fishers of Men
Alfred Noyes · 1907
Alfred Noyes reflects on the well-known Gospel moment when Jesus invites his disciples to become "fishers of men" and poses a challenging question: after two millennia of conflict…
- 14
Sunlight and Sea
Alfred Noyes · 1907
A speaker stands at the shore and proclaims that sunlight and sea are all the heaven he requires. He describes sunlight as a cheerful, dancing friend and the sea as a powerful forc…
- 15
Laugh and Be Merry
John Masefield · 1910
This poem passionately urges us to embrace life while we can. Masefield reminds us that joy is woven into the essence of creation — God crafted the world from delight — so we shoul…
- 16
Rose Pogonias
Robert Frost · 1913
Two people wander into a small, sunlit meadow full of wild orchids, feeling so awestruck by the beauty that it feels almost sacred. They gather some flowers and whisper a quiet pra…
- 17
The Matin-Song of Friar Tuck
Alfred Noyes · 1913
Friar Tuck, the cheerful friar from the Robin Hood tales, offers a morning prayer that discovers God not in elaborate churches but in the song of a thrush perched on a hawthorn bus…
- 18
Sunday Morning
Wallace Stevens · 1915
A woman relaxes at home on a Sunday morning, savoring coffee and fruit instead of attending church. The poem explores her thoughts as she grapples with a profound question: if ther…
- 19
Hermes of the Ways
H. D. · 1916
H. D.'s "Hermes of the Ways" is a two-part poem set on a windswept shoreline where the speaker invokes Hermes, the Greek god of crossroads and travelers, asking for protection and…
- 20
Sea Gods
H. D. · 1916
A speaker and her companions challenge those who claim the sea gods are broken and powerless, instead presenting armfuls of violets as a heartfelt invitation for their return. The…
- 21
The Shrine
H. D. · 1916
H. D.'s "The Shrine" explores a sacred yet perilous place—probably the sea—that both captivates and devastates those who approach, much like a god indifferent to their fate. The sp…
- 22
Slave and Emperor
Alfred Noyes · 1918
Alfred Noyes wrote this poem in reaction to World War I, highlighting a military emperor's arrogant rejection of Christianity alongside the eventual downfall of his power in battle…
- 23
The Little Roads
Alfred Noyes · 1918
A speaker feels adrift in life, enveloped by shadows and confusing paths, struggling to discover the right direction. However, small, unexpected moments — a kind word, a gentle bre…
- 24
The New Morning
Alfred Noyes · 1918
Alfred Noyes's "The New Morning" welcomes a new day as a time for renewal and quiet awe, inspired by nature — light, birdsong, dew — to convey that every dawn brings the promise of…
- 25
Gerontion
T. S. Eliot · 1920
An old man who has never truly lived—never fought, never felt, never believed—sits in a decaying house, pondering history, faith, and the gradual decline of his inner life. He obse…
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