Einstein phoned the other day.

Wanted to speak quite urgently

with my dog, Derek:

said that Derek’s theory of

quantum stiles was interesting

but lacked empirical evidence

and wasn’t supported by

the mathematics.

 

Derek disagreed:

 

described the process of walking with me,

taking the early morning river route

along the side of the Kent under Cumbrian skies.

Every gate and stile a quantum barrier,

separating countless possibilities

of constantly branching parallel universes:

facts on the far side of each wall blurred,

until the stile is crossed

with a new reality created                                                        

through observation                                                                  

                                                                               

and sometimes rewarded with a biscuit.        

 

 

(from Derek and the Eternally Perfect Petunia Bed

to be published by Yorshire Times Publishing later in 2025)