On a Columnar Self — Bowling

On a Columnar Self－¹
How ample to rely
In Tumult－or Extremity－
How good the Certainty

That Lever cannot pry－⁵
And Wedge cannot divide
Conviction－That Granitic Base－
Though None be on our Side－

Suffice Us－for a Crowd－⁹
Ourself－and Rectitude－
And that Assembly－not far off
From furthest Spirit－God－

(F.740/J.789)

[1] Columnar:: shape of the pins in bowling.
[4] Certainty:: pins will be formed again after being struck.
[4–6] Lever, Wedge:: only balls allowed.
[8] our Side:: the pins' side.
[9] Suffice, Crowd:: to satisfy players.
[10] Rectitude:: standing of the pins.
[11] Assembly:: the formation of the pins, not far from a bowling player.
[12] furthest Spirit:: destruction. God:: a powerful man who can control. The deepest spirit of bowling is a man who controls and destroys.

To prohibit gambling of every kind, and to prohibit or license the keeping or maintaining of billiard tables, nine or ten pins alleys, and bowling saloons. ─ Laws of the State of New York (1861)

In some places Bowling Alleys are common. They had them both at Omaha and Council Bluffs. But they never play at Nine Pins. Nine Pins was forbidden by the early Puritan settlers, and is still illegal in some places, and entirely out of fashion in all. So the people play at Ten Pins. ─ Barkers' Review (1862)