Shadow and Bronze

I mounted the tiered limestone pedestal where an antique bronze sundial crowned the garden border. Upon its circular plate, Roman numerals lay carved in precise concentric order, their grooves darkened by autumn rain. At the center rose a rigid triangular gnomon, casting a sharp, blade-like shadow diagonally across the tenth numeral. Aligning my stance with the dark contour, I extended one armored gauntlet to test the beveled bronze crest. This instrument marks the passage of hours without gears or oscillating weights, surrendering entirely to solar geometry. Standing firm beside the bronze fin, I committed its silent celestial grid to memory.