One of the highlights of this year's Nutshell Games was third-grader Marcus Shippee reading his prize-winning poem, "Ode to Wonder." The Nutshell Games, a graduate student presentation competition, was held November 2 at the Moss Arts Center, closing out Virginia Tech's day-long Science Festival. For the first time, poetry was incorporated into the event.

    Virginia Tech’s Center for Educational Networks and Impacts and the Department of English worked together earlier in the fall to launch a poetry contest with the theme “Ode to the Earth.” A call went out to area schools and through other venues.

    Participants were asked to compose an ode celebrating a wonder of Earth and were invited to write about whatever subject they chose within the general theme. A reminder was provided that an ode is a lyrical poem praising a person, place, thing, or idea. Entries were reviewed by English department faculty members and students. 

    Shippee was the winner in the elementary school division.

    "Marcus said he loved being on the stage and reading his poem," his father, Fred Shippee, said in an email.  "He said that he was nervous and excited at the same time. He hopes everyone enjoyed it." 

    Caroline Foltz won the adult division but was unable to read her poem at the Nutshell Games.  

    We’re honored to print the winning poems here. Poetry is one of many effective ways to communicate, and our Nutshell Games participants were delighted to share the stage with the young poet.

This photo shows a young white boy with blond hair wearing red shorts, yellow shoes, and a gray t-shirt standing on a stage. Kneeling beside his is a white man in gray pants and a white shirt holding a microphone to the boy's mouth. Behind them is a large slide reading "Nutshell Games November 2, 2024."
Marcus Shippee, winner of the elementary school division of the Ode to the Earth poetry contest, reads his poem while Jon Catherwood-Ginn holds the microphone. Photo courtesy of Fred Shippee, Marcus's father.

“Ode to Wonder”

By Marcus Shippee

Something that is not uncovered yet

Something that is missing

Imagination

 

So much that you can think of

Create

And have more wonders about it

 

You do the act of wondering in your head

But also with your limbs

 

When I wonder

I’m at that place

Investigating

 

Wonder feels like a mystery

that needs to be uncovered

 

Wonder makes me want to push through

Whatever comes my way

   The winning ode in the adult division was inspired by the recent discovery of a sixth ocean beneath Earth’s crust, according to poet Caroline Foltz: 

"Dreams From the Seafloor"

An Ode to the Secret Ocean by Caroline Foltz

Lo! Those liquid mines of silver-flicker,

    Pooling thick beneath the ocean rot

With glittery strings of oiled liquor

    And the brittle of dreams long forgot.

 

Here swells a sunken wave

    Of ancient wind through tidal veins,

Receding deep into its watery grave

    To the blackened heart of mythos’ plains.

 

Here breathes a primordial bath,

    The gleaming iris of crystalline Styx

Where Genesis whispers of bated wrath

    Like flood cresting o’er a pupil eclipsed.

 

Here seeps the soft histories, those

    Fantasies bloomed from wrinkled sponge

Whose formless threads of floating ambrose

    Spin on languid midnight tongues.

 

Wherein slow liquid this artery slips

    Of an earth encircled, subcutaneous

Flows a current flush for little podded ships

    To enlight the mystery of foreign depths.