It was one fine day of late
When two acquaintances chose to debate
The wonderfully strange antics
Of something called quantum mechanics.
Each had a different view on the theory.
Of the opposing view each felt leery.
The lady believed in the many worlds view,
While the gentleman felt Copenhagen would do.
They each spoke at length to explain the behaving
Of a particle that is simultaneously waving.
"Copenhagen says the wave is spread out,"
He said, "there is no doubt.
But it's the process of trying to see
Which splits the wave into duality.
Only a particle can be observed
Because the wave is being swerved.
Once we impose the big on the small
The wave no longer wishes to sprawl."
The lady said, "I must appear quite dense.
It's just that your view doesn't make sense.
Copenhagen seems to be a great obfuscation!
Please, explain again how it is observation
Makes a wide open wave collapse to a point
When it is apparent they must be conjoint."
"My dear lady, I assure you,
Wave-duality is preserved in this view."
"But how can this be?" She screamed! She cried!
While the man contemplated reply.
He responded, "It is at this junction,
Observation suffices to collapse the wave function.
Imposing the classical view on the quantum
Succeeds in producing quite a conundrum."
"Then if I am to understand you correctly,
Copenhagen must be considered abjectly.
As soon as you look to see what is happening
You change the events from as they're intending.
The particle-wave behaves in some other manner
When it's being watched by some kind of scanner."
She smiled with glee as she found the mistake
And her many worlds view she began to state,
"In the many worlds view it is easy to see
How wave and particle exist in duality.
The particle is this world that we know
While the wave is all worlds superimposed.
Each time the particle finds a fork in the road
It splits into two to lighten the load.
Infinite worlds are bred from each choice."
Sure she was right, she began to rejoice.
"Ah, but I see a fatal flaw in your view.
Perhaps, I should say, unmistakably two.
First, you should see when the two worlds fission
As the particle splits instead of making a decision.
Second of all, you can't see the wave
When all your worlds are overlaid.
We would see infinite numbers of things that are here,
But I never have," he said with a sneer.
"I think of my view you're misunderstanding!"
She said in a tone quite demanding.
"But I do understand. I do! I do!
How a wave and a point co-exist in your view.
I just don't see the feasibility
Of your view in reality."
She thought for a moment on both of their views
And then she said, "You have the same problem, too.
When the wave is under observation,
You see a particle, the wave in cessation.
How is that different from my theory?"
She said to him feeling suddenly cheery.
He said, "The idea of parallel worlds is absurd!"
The similarity had gone unheard.
"You see one point in experiments you do,
One world as well is all you can view.
Observing the world collapses the wave,"
And with that they began to rave.
"I see how many worlds can be convenient."
He said with a smile trying to be lenient,
"Imposing the classical on the quantum is strange.
Particles and waves act utterly deranged.
Many worlds there can be because all choices are there
But of only one world can we be aware."
"Copenhagen of course must surely agree
Because there's only one point we ever can see."
They continued as such late into the night,
Discussing their views, knowing each could be right.
For such is the way of interpretation
Especially when there's no direct confirmation
From experiments done by observable means
When both particle and wave cannot each be seen
To exist together in relative neutrality.
This is the nature of wave-particle duality.
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