Don't get caught up in the rainbow part of "My Heart Leaps Up
When I Behold." This poem is about the speaker's identity as
much as it is about nature, even if nature is an important part
of this identity. The speaker shows us a moment: he sees a
rainbow, and his heart leaps up. Then he uses that moment to
establish his entire identity, from when he was born to what he
wants to be like when he grows old. He says he wants his days to
be glued together by what he calls "natural piety," an almost
religious respect and love for nature. I am Nature Boy! The
speaker hopes that rejoicing in nature will remain a constant
part of his identity even as he ages. He's not the only one
either. The speaker feels that childhood plays an important role
of shaping the identity of adults.