Restoring the Shadow

A weathered stone plinth caught my attention beyond the boxwood hedges, crowned with an antique bronze sundial. I stepped deliberately across the granite rim to inspect its verdigris plate, where etched numerals marked the progression of hours. An errant, brittle leaf lay wedged against the angled gnomon, distorting the crisp silhouette cast across the bronze surface. Bracing my footing against the rough stone, I swept the intrusion aside with a firm brush of my sleeve. The blade's sharp shadow resumed its rightful path across the dial, unclouded and exact under my watch.