Sundial Rhymes

Art and Environment
Poetry
Science & Environmental Education
Edward Hessler

Mark Seeley is a member of the Minnesota Climatology and Weather Group and a professor in the Department of Soils. Water, and Climate, the University of Minnesota.

He knows more and remembers more details and facts--always right on the tip of his tongue and at his finger tip--about Minnesota weather than any person I know.  Minnesota Public Radio has a show with him at the Minnesota State Fair where he is asked questions that questioners think might stump him. Few do. 

Professor Seeley also writes a weekly blog summarizing Minnesota weather and weather events north-to-south-east-to-west for the week. For me, it is not to be missed.

On March 25, 2016 he included some sundial rhymes, a way of noticing the return of sunlight. Sundials are an ancient invention and are sometimes thought of as the beginning of time although obelisks were used much earlier--noticing time by shadow length. On a larger scale, natural cycles--the solstices and equinoxes--were noticed and used even earlier.  Regardless, their invention is a remarkable event for which see here where you can see the first known sundial,Valley of the Kings, ca. 1500 BCE.

Serene I stand among the flowers;

And only count life's sunny hours.

When the hour is bright and clear,

You'll find the time recorded here.

Set me right and use me well;

And I the time to you will tell.

Of shade and sunshine for each hour,

See here a measure made.

Then wonder not if life consists,

Of sunshine and of shade.

Anyone know of others?
If you do, you may add them as a comment his blog, Minnesota WeatherTalk for March 25, 2016. He'd welcome them and so would I... here.