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
Forgiveness.
23 poems, ranked.
23 of the finest public-domain poems about forgiveness, 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
A Paraphrase
Eugene Field
“Eugene Field reimagines the Lord's Prayer, a deeply known text in Christianity, transforming it into a single flowing poem that retains its original meaning whi…”
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02
A Woman
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“This brief poem captures the essence of the unnamed woman from the Bible who thought that just touching the hem of Jesus's robe would heal her. Longfellow conve…”
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03
By Lope De Vega
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“This poem expresses a prayer from a sinner who calls out to Jesus as a shepherd, asking to be guided toward forgiveness and mercy. At the end, the speaker exper…”
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The complete index
- 04
Confession
Anne Sexton
Anne Sexton's "Confession" is a brutally honest poem where the speaker lays bare her painful truths—her guilt, her failures, and the complexities of her inner life. Much like a Cat…
- 05
Discipline
George Herbert
In "Discipline," George Herbert pleads with God to set aside His anger and instead discipline him with love rather than wrath. Herbert acknowledges his weakness and faltering, yet…
- 06
Emma and Eginhard
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A young scholar named Eginhard becomes the favored companion of Emperor Charlemagne but secretly falls for the Emperor's daughter, Emma. When Charlemagne discovers their romance, h…
- 07
Gunga Din
Rudyard Kipling
A British soldier reflects on his experiences in colonial India and recalls Gunga Din, the Indian water-carrier who supported his regiment. Even though the soldiers, including the…
- 08
Heaven
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
In this brief, heartfelt prayer, the speaker implores God to have mercy on humanity — individuals created by God who have strayed into sin and betrayal. The poem suggests that sinc…
- 09
Judas Iscariot
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This poem features a dramatic monologue delivered by Judas Iscariot in his last moments, right before he leaps from a cliff. He is consumed by guilt, drowning in self-pity, and gra…
- 10
Love
James Russell Lowell
Lowell's "Love" suggests that true love isn't about drama or flashiness — it's calm, consistent, and designed for daily life. It deepens over time, offers forgiveness for imperfect…
- 11
Mercy
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A brief yet urgent prayer, "Mercy" expresses Longfellow's heartfelt request for God to embrace human repentance rather than condemn humanity eternally for its sins. The speaker imp…
- 12
Reconciliation
Walt Whitman
A soldier gazes at the body of an enemy and kisses him on the forehead. The poem suggests that, in the end, death and time will erase the hatred and devastation caused by war, reve…
- 13
Rhoecus
James Russell Lowell
Rhoecus is a young man who saves an ancient oak tree and is rewarded by the tree's spirit — a Dryad — who offers him her love, asking only that he meet her at sunset. He becomes di…
- 14
Satire III
Horace
Horace starts with the unpredictable singer Tigellius to make the point that nobody is perfect. We should judge our friends' flaws with the same kindness a loving father shows his…
- 15
Sin
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This short four-line poem presents a ladder of moral responses to sin, ranging from the most human to the divine. Longfellow suggests that making mistakes is simply part of being h…
- 16
Sonnet 33
William Shakespeare
A speaker recounts witnessing the sun rise spectacularly over mountains and meadows, only to be engulfed by clouds. He then confesses that he just experienced the same with someone…
- 17
The Blind Monk
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A man named Count Hugo, who was once powerful and violent, now addresses a prince he wronged in his past life. A mysterious voice in the darkness called him to prayer, and that mom…
- 18
The Guest
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A woman is at a man's feet, crying and wiping them with her hair while pouring on expensive perfume. Nearby, a man named Simon grumbles that if this man was really a prophet, he wo…
- 19
The Two Recording Angels Ascending
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Two angels are rising to God after spending a day on Earth—one has noted the good deeds, while the other has kept track of the evil ones. The Angel of Good Deeds holds a sealed boo…
- 20
The Wedding-Day
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This chapter captures the wedding day from Longfellow's narrative poem *The Courtship of Miles Standish*. John Alden and Priscilla Mullins tie the knot, and just when everyone beli…
- 21
This Is Just to Say
William Carlos Williams
A speaker jots down a note admitting they snacked on plums from the fridge that someone else might have been saving. It’s a small, ordinary moment — but Williams infuses it with a…
- 22
To a Young Lady Horace Had Offended
Horace
Horace reaches out to a young woman he previously mocked in his satirical poems, seeking her forgiveness. He acknowledges that anger is a fearsome, almost otherworldly power — a fo…
- 23
Yussouf
James Russell Lowell
A stranger comes to the tent of a kind man named Yussouf, asking for shelter and safety. Yussouf welcomes him without hesitation, offers him food, and sends him away with gold and…
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