My heart leaps up when I behold
William Wordsworth

MY heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began,
So is it now I am a man,
So be it when I shall grow old
Or let me die!
The child is father of the man:
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.


This poem talks about how natural beauty, such as a rainbow, has always been fascinating to him. I think it is interesting how he shows this lasting astonishment for nature throughout his life. I also like how he pretty much states that the day he doesn't find happiness in nature's gifts, like rainbows, than he might as well die. The third to last line sticks out a lot to me; I think he is speaking as that the rainbow is a child since it was just "born" and has given him the joy and happiness and his like. The whole idea about nature giving happiness to man is a very special theme, and it is portrayed very well in this poem.

There are several techniques that Wordsworth uses in this poem that can help poets be more effective. When he uses the repitition of the word "so" to explain the progression in his life it shows there is still similarity regardless of the change in age. This resembles how he is still affected by the sight of a rainbow through out the years even though he is a grown man. Using a single word to congeal a span of time throughout his life and highlight the consistency. By using this I think that a poet can make a passage of time hold together and help show how things can stay the same with time.