God’s Cat

Juveriya Nazneen

a sharp knock on the door,
no thought real until I think.
God, your cat lives or
dies or both?
such a perfect game.
I try throwing your atoms
through the double slit.
every version tried,
every version not.
but how do I explain to them
which slit got lucky?
which atom obeyed?
when all comes to light,
everything behaves.

but, but maybe
I am captive to saturation.
maybe God, you are the box,
so we forever remain
in the superposition.
maybe you are the cat,
seen, unseen, both
or maybe, just maybe
you are the decoherence,
a sharp knock on the door.

The Science

This poem, ‘God’s Cat’, is inspired by core ideas in quantum mechanics — particularly quantum superposition and the role of observation in determining physical outcomes. In quantum mechanics, superposition refers to the idea that a system can exist in multiple possible states at the same time until it is observed. In the Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, a cat in a closed box is considered both alive and dead until the box is opened and an outcome is observed, highlighting the coexistence of multiple states prior to observation.

Likewise, the double‑slit experiment demonstrates that particles such as photons or electrons can exhibit wave‑like interference patterns when unmeasured, revealing a superposition of paths, whereas introducing a measurement collapses this pattern into distinct particle behaviour.

These phenomena embody a kind of infinite potentiality — a system harbouring many possibilities simultaneously — which resonates with the theme of infinity, inviting reflection on how observation, uncertainty and collapse shape both the quantum world and our experience of reality.

The Poet

Juveriya Nazneen is an independent poet based in Qatar, with roots in India, whose work explores Islamic faith, diaspora, and identity. She holds master’s degrees in English and Business, combining literary scholarship with analytical training. This poem represents an experiment in bridging scientific concepts and verse. Juveriya is currently completing a debut poetry collection and serves as the founding editor of a Muslim literary magazine. Her work has been selected for the upcoming Issue IV of Candle Chronicles. She shares her writing on Substack under @juveriyapoetess.

Next poem: in-fin-it-ee by Rebecca Quinn