15+ Must-Read Poems about Trust

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

Poems about trust celebrate the foundation of meaningful relationships. They highlight the power of trust to build bonds of love, friendship, and understanding.

These verses express the vulnerability of entrusting one’s heart to another, embracing the strength and beauty that comes from mutual reliance. Poems about trust may explore the deep connection it fosters, offering a testament to the power of faith and reliability in forging lasting connections. These poems inspire the belief in the inherent goodness of humanity and the profound impact of trust on our lives.

Poem Explorer Poetry Archives

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 82/100

The Confessional

by Robert Browning

‘The Confessional’ by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue following a woman who is betrayed for her blind faith.

Trust in 'The Confessional' leads to the main character's downfall. The woman has such blind trust in the priest that she does not question his orders or solutions. Instead, she follows everything he says to do, and this is how her lover ends up getting publicly hanged.

It is a lie—their Priests, their Pope,

Their Saints, their... all they fear or hope

Are lies, and lies—there! through my door

And ceiling, there! and walls and floor,

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 73/100

The Willing Mistress

by Aphra Behn

‘The Willing Mistress’ by Aphra Behn is an erotic poem wherein the speaker recounts her intimate moments with her lover in a grove.

Trust runs like an undercurrent throughout the poem, playing a significant role in the progression of intimacy. The speaker's decisions, such as going out alone in a secluded grove with Amyntas, letting him play 'Amorous Tricks,' and kissing her, are based on her trust in him without any fear. The security and safety she feels with Amyntas play a role in her consent and willingness to do something she says 'which I dare not name.' Amyntas also tries to woo her with this rendezvous, trusting her. Thus, mutual trust allows the lovers to explore their passion and experience pleasure.

Amyntas led me to a Grove,

Where all the Trees did shade us;

The Sun it self, though it had Strove,

It could not have betray’d us:

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 69/100

Religio Laici

by John Dryden

‘Religio Laici’ by John Dryden is a reflective discourse in unadorned verse that explores faith, reason, and the complexities of religious beliefs.

'Religio Laici' addresses the topic of trust by scrutinizing the reliability of religious doctrine and the trust placed in religious authorities. It questions whether individuals can fully trust interpretations of scripture and the guidance provided by religious institutions. Through this examination, the poem encourages readers to critically assess the sources of their beliefs and the extent to which they can trust external sources for spiritual guidance.

Dim, as the borrow'd beams of moon and stars

To lonely, weary, wand'ring travellers,

Is reason to the soul; and as on high,

Those rolling fires discover but the sky

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Getting Back Together

Form:

Genre:

"> 68/100

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

by John Donne

‘A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning’ by John Donne is a metaphysical poem exploring the nature of enduring love.

The speaker shows immense confidence and trust in his relationship and the love between him and his beloved throughout the poem. The speaker's confidence in the enduring nature of his relationship implies a deep trust in his beloved and the love they share. Trust, in this context, becomes an integral aspect of the poem's exploration of enduring and resilient relationships.

As virtuous men pass mildly away,

And whisper to their souls to go,

Whilst some of their sad friends do say

The breath goes now, and some say, No:

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Forms:

Genre:

"> 65/100

The Birth of the Building Society – Nationwide Poem

by Stephen Morrison-Burke

The poem used in the Nationwide advert, ‘The Birth of the Building Society’ by Stephen Morrison-Burke, was written to tell the origin story of building societies. It also seeks to differentiate them from banks in customer’s eyes.

Trust is at the core of the poem, illustrating how people placed faith in one another when they first formed building societies. This trust allowed them to confidently pool resources, knowing it would serve the greater good. The poem emphasizes that building societies depend on this mutual trust to create and maintain supportive communities. It suggests that trust remains essential in forming strong bonds and achieving shared goals.

no hidden agendas.

Just a simple system that existed solely for the benefit of its members.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Forms:

"> 63/100

Rabbi Ben Ezra

by Robert Browning

In ‘Rabbi Ben Ezra’ by Robert Browning, aging wisdom urges surrender to divine plan, embracing life’s imperfections for spiritual refinement.

'Rabbi Ben Ezra' perceives trust as an essential element of faith and surrender to divine providence. Through the protagonist's reflections, Browning's poem underscores the importance of trusting in a higher power's plan for one's life. Trust is depicted as a source of strength and assurance, enabling individuals to navigate life's uncertainties with resilience and hope, confident in the belief that all is ultimately guided by a greater wisdom.

Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be,

The last of life, for which the first was made:

Our times are in His hand

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 58/100

A Bouquet

by Edward Smyth Jones

‘A Bouquet’ preserves and communicates the devoted affections of its speaker via an offering of resplendent flowers.

Trust is another topic broached in the poem, albeit subtly, hinted at in the speaker's request for the beloved to wear the flowers. Like the gift of the flowers, this is meant to be tangible proof of their accepted affection: by giving their heart in the form of a bouquet, the speaker trusts the recipient to care for and cherish it. Even the wreath becomes an emblem of this trust, a symbol of their enduring bond. Through this act of giving, the speaker expresses an understanding their love will be honored and preserved despite the distance, a sign of the profound trust shared by such lovers.

A blossom pink, a blossom blue,

Make all there is in love so true.

'Tis fit, methinks, my heart to move,

To give it thee, sweet girl, I love!

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 57/100

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

by E.E. Cummings

One of Cummings’ seminal pieces, this poem is also one of the greatest love poems ever written, with its beautiful refrain. It isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel – this is simply a person telling another person how much they care and it’s done in a timelessly beautiful way.

Trust forms the quiet foundation of the poem. The speaker’s love does not come with hesitation or fear but instead carries a deep sense of certainty. This trust is what allows the poem to feel so calm and unwavering, as if nothing could weaken what he feels. It suggests that true love is built not only on passion but also on the quiet confidence that both hearts are safe in each other’s care.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 55/100

Driving to the Hospital

by Kate Clanchy

‘Driving to the Hospital’ by Kate Clanchy captures a reflective car journey, blending love, memory, and shared moments into tender verse.

The way the couple interacts in the poem reflects quiet trust. When she suggests coasting down the hill because they are low on petrol, he agrees without hesitation. This shows how well they understand and rely on each other. It also suggests that their connection has been built over time. Even in a small situation like driving a car, this trust makes everything feel easy and balanced, showing how strong their bond has become.

We were low on petrol

so I said let's freewheel

when we get to the hill.

It was dawn and the city

#10

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 55/100

My True Love Hath My Heart

by Philip Sidney

‘My True Love Hath My Heart’ by Sir Philip Sidney is a Shakespearean sonnet. It captures the intensity and depth of two people who experience love at first sight.

Trust goes hand-in-hand with equality in this Philip Sidney poem. The speaker trusts their lover because they’ve given them their heart (and vice versa). The two are connected in an intimate and permanent way.

My true-love hath my heart and I have his,

By just exchange one for the other given:

I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss;

There never was a bargain better driven.

#11

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genres:

"> 54/100

Out to Tender

by Jean Bleakney

‘Out to Tender’ explores the uneasiness felt by many during the 1994 ceasefire in Northern Ireland and expresses their fear and doubt.

Trust is a significant theme in the poem, highlighting its absence and necessity. The poem reflects the lack of trust in political promises and leaders. Years of conflict have eroded trust among people. Rebuilding trust is shown as a crucial part of the recovery process. The poem emphasizes that without trust, true peace and change are hard to achieve.

All along the motorway

they’re resurfacing and bridge-strengthening

and seeding the central reservation

with wild flowers.

#12

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 54/100

The Welcome

by Thomas Osborne Davis

‘The Welcome’ voices an unconditional devotion between the speaker and a woman whose love has given them a new enthusiasm for life.

In the third stanza, the speaker asks their beloved what "gift" they can give her, presumably as proof of their devotion and love. Her response mirrors many of the speaker's expectations and sentiments regarding their relationship, expressing the need for it to remain evergreen and eternal. Foundational to this is a trust that exists in confidence, not necessarily voiced, but implicitly understood and exercised through their shared commitment to be "tunefully streaming." In other words, trust is the root of any harmonious relationship.

Come in the evening, or come in the morning,

Come when you're looked for, or come without warning,

Kisses and welcome you'll find here before you,

And the oftener you come here the more I'll adore you.

#13

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 45/100

City of Ships

by Walt Whitman

‘City of Ships’ by Walt Whitman praises the city of New York giving specific focus and awe to its crowded harbors.

The speaker of Walt Whitman's poem seeks to both remind and strengthen the trust that exists between themselves and the city they celebrate. The purpose of this is to give their later calls for war a better footing from which to convince the city to engage and fight. Many of the lines near the end of the poem highlight the speaker's longstanding belief and pride in the city.

City of ships!

(O the black ships! O the fierce ships!

O the beautiful sharp-bow'd steam-ships and sail-ships!)

City of the world! (for all races are here,

#14

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Theme:

Emotion:

Topics:

Form:

"> 30/100

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

by William Shakespeare

‘How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!’ by William Shakespeare is an excerpt from The Merchant of Venice, a famous Shakespearean play. The lines are found in Act V Scene 1 and are spoken by Lorenzo.

The speaker notes that there is no reason to trust any person not moved by music. It is a tester for ones moral code, the poet implies.

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

Here will we sit and let the sounds of music

Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night

Become the touches of sweet harmony.

#15

PDF Guide

And Because Love Battles

by Pablo Neruda

‘And Because Love Battles’ by Pablo Neruda is about a social battle, two lovers fight for unification. This poem presents the theme of love and its power to break through all the obligations.

And because love battles

not only in its burning agricultures

but also in the mouth of men and women,

I will finish off by taking the path away

Home » Collection » Poems about Trust

15+ Must-Read Poems about Trust

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links

15+ Must-Read Poems about Trust

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

by Robert Browning

by Aphra Behn

by John Dryden

by John Donne

by Stephen Morrison-Burke

by Robert Browning

by Edward Smyth Jones

by E.E. Cummings

by Kate Clanchy

by Philip Sidney

by Jean Bleakney

by Thomas Osborne Davis

by Walt Whitman

by William Shakespeare

Narrow Your Search

We Look Deep into Poetry

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links