My Heart Leaps Up - William Wordsworth
/My Heart Leaps Up - William Wordsworth/
Childlike Wonder at Life’s Continuum
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.
In “My Heart Leaps Up,” William Wordsworth celebrates a sense of awe that spans the entirety of life. The poem begins with a rainbow—an emblem of nature’s simple wonders—stirring a surge of joy in the speaker’s heart. This joy is presented as a constant, dating back to childhood, persisting in adulthood, and hopefully carried through old age. Wordsworth’s most famous line in this piece, “The Child is father of the Man,” encapsulates his belief that the spiritual insights and emotional intensity of youth form the foundation of adult identity.
At its core, the poem underscores the profound continuity between the experiences of childhood and the aspirations of maturity. By reaffirming his hope never to lose this childlike capacity for wonder, Wordsworth illustrates how genuine reverence for the natural world can unify different stages of life. It is a concise yet potent meditation on the enduring influence of early impressions and the unwavering bonds we share with the forces of nature.
Key points
1. A sense of wonder can transcend age and stage of life.
2. Nature’s simple marvels—like a rainbow—often spark deep emotional resonance.
3. Childhood experiences shape adult perspectives and values.
4. Maintaining childlike awe nourishes our ongoing sense of spiritual and emotional well-being.