Heather Phares of AllMusic said of "Pagan Poetry" that it "shares a spacious serenity with the album's quietest moments" and included this song as a track pick.[3] Rolling Stone said, "In 'Pagan Poetry', she deploys the implied heaven of Zeena Parkins harp and a flotilla of music boxes with an Asian-teahouse touch."[4] Blender said "'Pagan Poetry' sounds like the prelude to a particularly exotic sexual interlude."[5] Saul Campbell from 7 magazine called the track "terrifying" and an album standout.[6]