THE RAINBOW

 

THE  RAINBOW

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 very short poem is by English romantic poet William Wordsworth (1770—1850). He is the only poet who is most famous as Nature poet of England.

 

As this poem reveals he was born with a love for nature and remained so not only till his manhood but also aspired to remain a lover of nature throughout his life. 

According to his personal belief Nature is not only a source of wisdom but also of health, beauty, physical grace and mental tranquility. People who have  natural piety in them  show a lot of respect for God and religion.    

 

He suggested that love for Nature should start as soon as a child is born. Man is a finished product of his childhood. His personality is shaped by his childhood activities.  This is what he wants to convey through the line “The child is Father of the Man”. 

 

Modern psychologists also agree with Wordsworth.   They too believe that “Man creates himself” or “The child is the constructor and maker of the adult.”

 

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G.R. Kanwal

28^th September 2023