BY LOPE DE VEGA by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This poem expresses a prayer from a sinner who calls out to Jesus as a shepherd, asking to be guided toward forgiveness and mercy.
The poem
Shepherd! who with thine amorous, sylvan song Hast broken the slumber that encompassed me, Who mad'st thy crook from the accursed tree, On which thy powerful arms were stretched so long! Lead me to mercy's ever-flowing fountains; For thou my shepherd, guard, and guide shalt be; I will obey thy voice, and wait to see Thy feet all beautiful upon the mountains. Hear, Shepherd! thou who for thy flock art dying, O, wash away these scarlet sins, for thou Rejoicest at the contrite sinner's vow. O, wait! to thee my weary soul is crying, Wait for me! Yet why ask it, when I see, With feet nailed to the cross, thou 'rt waiting still for me! II
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 experiences a powerful emotional realization: Jesus has been waiting — nailed to the cross — all along. It's a brief, impactful sonnet that shifts from desperate pleading to a sense of awe-filled gratitude.
Line-by-line
Shepherd! who with thine amorous, sylvan song / Hast broken the slumber that encompassed me,
Who mad'st thy crook from the accursed tree, / On which thy powerful arms were stretched so long!
Lead me to mercy's ever-flowing fountains; / For thou my shepherd, guard, and guide shalt be;
I will obey thy voice, and wait to see / Thy feet all beautiful upon the mountains.
Hear, Shepherd! thou who for thy flock art dying, / O, wash away these scarlet sins, for thou
Rejoicest at the contrite sinner's vow. / O, wait! to thee my weary soul is crying,
Wait for me! Yet why ask it, when I see, / With feet nailed to the cross, thou 'rt waiting still for me!
Tone & mood
The tone feels both devoted and urgent, shifting from a respectful plea to a deep emotional craving and ultimately to a sense of awed, tearful relief. It lacks any coldness or formality — the speaker truly seems desperate for forgiveness, and the ending lines evoke a heartfelt, choking emotion. Longfellow maintains a warm and personal register throughout, avoiding any stiffness or religious formality.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Shepherd — Jesus draws from the rich biblical tradition of the Good Shepherd found in John 10 and Psalm 23. This imagery presents salvation as a means of guidance and rescue, portraying God as approachable rather than fearsome.
- The Crook made from the accursed tree — The shepherd's staff, which is traditionally used to guide lost sheep back to safety, is crafted from the wood of the cross. This combines the symbols of suffering and salvation into a single object, implying that the crucifixion serves as the very means of rescue.
- Scarlet sins — A direct reference to Isaiah 1:18, which describes sins as scarlet or crimson. This color suggests a vivid, visible guilt that stains — something impossible to conceal and needing an outside action for removal.
- The feet — Feet take on contrasting meanings in two instances. Initially, "beautiful feet upon the mountains" (from Isaiah 52:7) symbolize the messenger of good news and the promise of salvation. In contrast, "feet nailed to the cross" depict those same feet as trapped in suffering — shifting the concept of movement and arrival into one of still, enduring waiting.
- Ever-flowing fountains — Mercy is often envisioned as an endless spring or fountain — a familiar image in the Bible (Revelation 22:1, Psalm 23:2). This imagery conveys that grace isn’t something to be earned or limited; it flows freely and is always accessible.
- Slumber — The speaker has been in a state of spiritual unconsciousness or indifference until awakened by Jesus's call. The metaphor of sleep, representing sin or moral blindness, is a recurring theme in the Bible (Romans 13:11) and signifies the beginning of the speaker's path toward repentance.
Historical context
This poem is a translation by Longfellow of a sonnet attributed to the Spanish playwright and poet Lope de Vega (1562–1635), who was one of the most prolific writers during the Spanish Golden Age. Alongside his well-known plays, Lope de Vega created hundreds of religious poems, with many of his devotional sonnets gaining popularity throughout Europe. Longfellow, a Harvard professor of modern languages and an accomplished translator, included this version in his 1845 anthology *The Poets and Poetry of Europe*. The original Spanish poem is part of a tradition that emphasizes deep personal devotion—more like a heartfelt conversation with God than a formal liturgy. Longfellow's translation maintains the Petrarchan sonnet structure (an octave followed by a sestet) and effectively conveys the emotional buildup, making the poem's final couplet particularly powerful.
FAQ
No. Longfellow translated it from a Spanish sonnet that’s attributed to Lope de Vega (1562–1635), a prominent poet and playwright from Spain's Golden Age. By titling it "By Lope de Vega," Longfellow makes it clear that he’s sharing someone else's work in English. The poem is included in his 1845 collection *The Poets and Poetry of Europe*.
A person burdened by sin is reaching out to Jesus, seeking forgiveness and guidance toward mercy. In the end, they understand they don’t have to plead for Jesus to wait for them — he's already there, nailed to the cross and unable to leave. It’s a poem about transforming guilt into gratitude.
It refers to the cross where Jesus was crucified. The phrase originates from Deuteronomy 21:23, which states that anyone hung on a tree is cursed. Early Christians interpreted this verse in relation to the crucifixion, and it became a common way to refer to the cross in devotional poetry.
It's a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of 14 lines split into an octave (8 lines) and a sestet (6 lines). The octave introduces the speaker's plea, while the sestet provides the emotional resolution. The rhyme scheme adheres to the classic ABBA ABBA pattern in the octave, with a different arrangement in the sestet.
Several. The imagery of the shepherd references Psalm 23 and John 10, where Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. The phrase "beautiful feet upon the mountains" is a nod to Isaiah 52:7. The term "scarlet sins" originates from Isaiah 1:18. The joy over a repentant sinner reflects the Parable of the Lost Sheep found in Luke 15. Overall, the poem is a rich tapestry of biblical references crafted into one unified prayer.
The speaker shouts, "Wait for me!" but then pauses to question why they’re asking that. The answer is clear: Jesus’s feet are nailed to the cross. He can’t leave. He’s been waiting all along. What starts as a plea for patience shifts into an acknowledgment of sacrifice, and the poem concludes on that stunned, grateful note.
"Amorous" in this context refers to a profound, tender love — distinct from romantic or sexual love. In Christian mysticism, especially within Spanish Golden Age poetry, the bond between the soul and God is frequently expressed through themes of love and yearning. By describing the shepherd's song as "amorous," the poem aligns itself with this rich tradition.
"Sylvan" refers to something connected to the woods or forest, originating from the Latin *silva*, which means wood. This term enhances the pastoral, outdoor imagery of the shepherd metaphor, positioning Jesus in a natural landscape instead of a traditional religious environment.