Sundials are functional, decorative items that have been in use for many centuries. Because they measure the passing time, it became popular early on to inscribe them with a verse or a saying having to do with the fleeting nature of time, or the certainty of death. An example is the motto, “The shadow by my gnomon cast, divides the future from the past.” Poems about gardens also became popular inscriptions on sundials. One example of this is the often used poem by Dorothy Frances Gurney: “The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God’s heart in a garden, Than anywhere else on earth.” The image of Father Time along with the motto “Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be,” is one of the most widely used decorations for the flat surfaces of sundials. Many sundial mottoes have become cherished bits of wisdom, and whole collections of these sayings and poems have been assembled over the years into treasured, collectible volumes.
Tags: sundial, brass sundial, garden sundial, sun dials, sundial clock, bronze sundials
