The Cleared Sundial

I made my way up the stepped stone base of the park's bronze sundial, curious to verify the afternoon's progression. A crisp brown oak leaf had drifted squarely over the engraved dial, obscuring several Roman numerals beneath its brittle lobes. Setting my little blue book down upon the cool bronze plate for steady footing, I extended the blunt tip of my yellow pencil to slide the leaf away from the triangular gnomon. As the metal cleared, a razor-sharp blade of shadow fell clean and true, slicing just past the Roman numeral II. Time, rendered in pure geometry, resumed its impeccable composure.