John Greenleaf Whittier, inscription on a Sun Dial for the Rev. Henry T. Bowditch.

With warning hand I mark Time's rapid flight, From Life's glad morning to its solemn night; Yet, through the dear Lord's love, I also show There's light above me by the shade I throw.

— John Green on Sundial mottos

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "With warning hand I mark Time's rapid flight, From Life's glad morning to its solemn night; Yet, through the dear Lord's love, I also show There's light above me by the shade I throw." in the context of "John Greenleaf Whittier, inscription on a Sun Dial for the Rev. Henry T. Bowditch." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Sundial mottos" (Quotes, Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 767-68.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
John Green

About John Green

John Green (born 24 August 1977) is an American author of young adult fiction, who has appeared on the New York Times best sellers list several times. He also publishes a video blog with his brother Hank Green as "vlogbrothers". A massive community has popped up around the videos that the brothers call 'Nerdfighteria.' John lives with his wife and two kids in Indianapolis.