2017-09-25

Sept 25th - In the horological gardens : function vs. form


In the horological gardens : function vs. form


The sundial stands in a patch of grass:
that is a wabe -- as C.S.Lewis
assigned the name, but it is not

the wabe that makes the dial into
a sundial.  The plinth of this one carved
with summer sun and autumn leaves

and with today's bleak winter trees
but mere plinth is not sundial.  The gnomon,
all rough with verdigris except

where hands have worn it back to smooth
and bronze, also its leaching copper
has stained the dial, but though this wedge

and dial are necessary for
a sundial, they are not sufficient:
another thing's required. There's rain

upon the sundial all today,
the sky of grey has left my time
quite undefined: a dial undone. 



2 comments:

  1. So many good ones, what a great September job you did.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I enjoyed it, although I didn't manage one for every day...

      There's a load of poets doing "Poem a day for October" now, but two in a row would be too much for me!

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