GLUMPSES OF OUR HERITAGE: THE SKY

In the pitch dark of the night, with immense fascination,

Curious humans began to gaze at the moon and distant stars.

In the spread and motions of stars they noticed many patterns.

They named the stellar patterns as various constellations.

Observing with care and  attention the periodic recurrence in the  rising

Of the star we call  Sirius they recognized the period

That we now call a year: This  discovery by astronomers

In Egypt had a great impact: Thence on one began to reckon

Different temporal periods: The year is thus the ancestor

Of the month and week and day, then of hour, minute and second

THE WEEK

If you are wondering how the seven-day week arose,

It is interesting to know that this was only because

Ancient star-gazers did not have telescopes to see through,

Though they were very careful and keen observers.

When they scanned nocturnal without any instrument

They noticed that some bodies are  moving erratically

One might say and so they named them  wanderers.

From the Greek equivalent of this word is derived

The current English word for them: namely, planets.

Ancients astronomers recognized seven of them:

Their list of these seven, for which they felt great awe,

Were Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

They regarded them as important, dedicated a day for each..

That is the root of the seven-day week, for which  we know

There is absolutely no reason, based on astronomy.