Skip to content
Storgy

The Annotated Edition

BY CLEMENT MAROT by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~2 min

This poem delivers a biting and humorous critique of a corrupt friar named Lubin, who excels at all the wrong pursuits—like theft, seduction, and hypocrisy—while being utterly inept at anything virtuous.

Poet
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Themes
art, faith, identity
The PoemFull text

BY CLEMENT MAROT

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

To gallop off to town post-haste, So oft, the times I cannot tell; To do vile deed, nor feel disgraced,-- Friar Lubin will do it well. But a sober life to lead, To honor virtue, and pursue it, That's a pious, Christian deed,-- Friar Lubin can not do it. To mingle, with a knowing smile, The goods of others with his own, And leave you without cross or pile, Friar Lubin stands alone. To say 't is yours is all in vain, If once he lays his finger to it; For as to giving back again, Friar Lubin cannot do it. With flattering words and gentle tone, To woo and win some guileless maid, Cunning pander need you none,-- Friar Lubin knows the trade. Loud preacheth he sobriety, But as for water, doth eschew it; Your dog may drink it,--but not he; Friar Lubin cannot do it.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This poem delivers a biting and humorous critique of a corrupt friar named Lubin, who excels at all the wrong pursuits—like theft, seduction, and hypocrisy—while being utterly inept at anything virtuous. Each stanza details Lubin's misdeeds with skill, then transitions to reveal what he "cannot do" when it comes to good actions. It's a satirical depiction that relies on repetition and irony to drive the message home more powerfully with each instance.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. To gallop off to town post-haste, / So oft, the times I cannot tell;

    Editor's note

    The poem begins by energetically listing Friar Lubin's vices. He zips into town repeatedly, engages in disgraceful behavior without a hint of remorse, and the speaker portrays this as his true talent. The punchline — "Friar Lubin will do it well" — establishes the ironic framework that the entire poem relies on: celebrating misdeeds, followed by an inability to act correctly.

  2. To mingle, with a knowing smile, / The goods of others with his own,

    Editor's note

    Stanza two centers on theft and fraud. Lubin slyly incorporates other people's property into his own, leaving his victims empty-handed — "without cross or pile" signifies not having a single coin. The stanza intensifies the satire: it's not merely that Lubin steals, but that he's *skilled* at it. The refrain "Friar Lubin cannot do it" now implies returning what he's taken, emphasizing the extent and permanence of his corruption.

  3. With flattering words and gentle tone, / To woo and win some guileless maid,

    Editor's note

    The final stanza introduces sexual predation to Lubin's list of traits. He uses charm to entice innocent women, making outside assistance irrelevant—he's a con artist all on his own. Then the poem hits its most cutting irony: Lubin loudly advocates for sobriety but won't even drink water himself. The final image of a dog drinking water while Lubin turns it down brings him down to a level beneath that of the animal. The refrain strikes again, delivering a harsh judgment.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is sardonic and playful, almost gleeful. Longfellow (translating Marot) maintains a light, bouncy rhythm that makes the content — theft, seduction, hypocrisy — feel more like a roast than a sermon. There’s no real anger, just the cool, confident mockery of someone who finds the subject more absurd than threatening. The repetition of the refrain gives it the vibe of a drinking song or a joke with a dependable punchline.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Friar Lubin
Lubin isn't merely a bad clergyman; he's a symbol of the hypocrisy found within religious institutions. By portraying him as a friar—someone who has vowed to live in poverty, chastity, and obedience—the poem amplifies every vice he embodies. He highlights the disparity between the Church's teachings and the actions of some of its followers.
Water
Water symbolizes sobriety, purity, and self-denial—qualities that a friar is meant to embody. Lubin's refusal to drink it, despite preaching sobriety to others, serves as the poem's most striking depiction of hypocrisy. Even a dog, lacking any moral code, will drink water; Lubin refuses.
Cross or pile
A coin flip phrase that refers to heads or tails — essentially, not a single penny. It’s a vivid, relatable image that anchors the satire in the day-to-day world of finance. Lubin doesn’t just take abstractly; he wipes people out entirely.
The refrain ("Friar Lubin cannot do it")
The repeated line serves as both punchline and verdict. Each time it comes up, it shuts down any chance of redemption for Lubin. This repetition echoes the way a legal charge is read out loud or how a congregation might respond in unison, adding an ironic twist considering the religious context.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Clément Marot (1496–1544) was a French Renaissance poet celebrated for his sharp wit, satirical tone, and his frequent clashes with Church authorities. This poem is one of his epigrams aimed at clerical corruption, a hot topic in a time when the Catholic Church's moral authority was being seriously challenged — the Protestant Reformation was happening during Marot's lifetime, and he had Lutheran sympathies that often led to his exile. Longfellow translated some of Marot's works as part of his effort to introduce European poetry to American audiences. His translation maintains Marot's lively, song-like rhythm and the ironic refrain structure, which makes the satire feel more entertaining than just a critique. By publishing it under the title "By Clement Marot," Longfellow indicated that he viewed himself as a faithful conduit rather than an original creator.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Both, in a way. Clément Marot, a French poet from the 16th century, penned the original work. Longfellow translated it into English in the 19th century. The title "By Clement Marot" reflects Longfellow's acknowledgment of the source. The concepts and structure belong to Marot; the English phrasing comes from Longfellow.

Read next

Poems in the same key

Similar poems

Mending Wall — Robert FrostPied Beauty — Gerard Manley HopkinsThe Collar — George HerbertThe Pulley — George Herbert

More by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Browse all Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poems →

Themes in this poem

Poems about artPoems about faithPoems about identityPoems about sorrow