Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord — Grass Sled

Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord, ¹
Then, I am ready to go!
Just a look at the Horses－
Rapid! That will do!

Put me in on the firmest side－⁵
So I shall never fall－
For we must ride to the Judgment－
And it's partly, down Hill－

But never I mind the steeper－⁹
And never I mind the Sea－
Held fast in Everlasting Race－
By my own Choice, and Thee－

Goodbye to the Life I used to live－¹³
And the World I used to know－
And kiss the Hills, for me, just once－
Then－I am ready to go!

(F.338/J.279)

[1] Lord:: a rider of a grass sled.
[3] Horses:: frames that support persons.
[5] me:: the rider on the back seat of the sled.
[7] Judgment:: a race of sled on grass.
[13] Life, used to:: it's an exciting game for Dickinson.

Not far from the birth-place of King Kaumualii, I passed one of the favorite places used by his predecessors, for the ancient sport, hoolua－coasting, or sliding down hill, on a sled, without snow or ice, such as New England boys prefer. A broad, smooth furrow is made from, the height, down a steep declivity, and extended a distance on the plain, less and less inclined. This furrow is lined or smoothly covered with a thin layer of grass, to prevent too much friction. The gambling part, and the excitement of the game, is much like that of a foot or horse race. The game is thus performed. In the presence of the multitude, the player takes in both hands, his long, very narrow and light built sled, made for this purpose alone, the curved ends of the runners being upward and forward, as he holds it, to begin the race. ─ Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands (1848)