Spontaneous Knotting of an Agitated String

A measure of knot complexity
is the number of minimum
crossings that must occur
when a knot is viewed
as a two-dimensional
projection

According to calculation
(yours, or anyone’s)

there are more tangled states than untangled
states. Thousands at least, when you shove
your headphones into your pocket

ready at last to listen

It took nothing for your cord
which is just another string
to achieve a tangled state

though you do not know it yet.
Entropy unnoticed

until, five seconds later

A string can be knotted
in many possible ways,
and a primary concern
of knot theory is to formally distinguish
and classify
all possible knots.

Oh how you swore, pulling
as you picked the twisted wires

with your fingertips
from the pocket
of your too-tight pants

designed for a person half your age

you act like
it’s a personal affront
this tangled inconvenience

how can something so simple
so quickly turn

into such a fucking mess

96% of all knots formed as known prime knots
having minimum crossing numbers
ranging from 3 to 11.
The prevalence of prime knots
is rather surprising,
because they are not
the only possible type of knot.

You succeed, finally
cram your fingers

deep in your ears

the tiny speakers
full of all that music
the soundtrack only you hear

I watch you leave
watch the floor

where your shadow was

I know you absolutely
are right or wrong.

Everything is personal

or nothing is.

 

The Daily Post: Twisted

Don't just stand there.