Ice Cores
Earth holds its histories in layers of ice,
and scientists analyze each little slice.
Eons of evidence, nature’s deep stash:
climate codes written in bubbles and ash.
A mechanical drill barrel rotates around,
or sometimes, a thermal drill heats up the ground.
It’s a race against time, so the samples are chilled
and carefully moved from where they were drilled.
Meter by meter, crews segment the sections.
They airlift and ship the crates over the oceans.
A gigantic freezer, a laboratory clean:
THIS is where climate change is seen.
In sediments and sea salts, a story remains.
Was it hot? Was it cold? The data explains.
Checking atmosphere samples for gas,
scientists ask, when did they amass?
How does modern air compare?
How do patterns match up? Should we care?
Each piece is studied, ancient relic of weather.
Can we learn? Can we hold this planet together?
Earth holds its mysteries in layers of ice,
and scientists decode each telling slice.
and scientists analyze each little slice.
Eons of evidence, nature’s deep stash:
climate codes written in bubbles and ash.
A mechanical drill barrel rotates around,
or sometimes, a thermal drill heats up the ground.
It’s a race against time, so the samples are chilled
and carefully moved from where they were drilled.
Meter by meter, crews segment the sections.
They airlift and ship the crates over the oceans.
A gigantic freezer, a laboratory clean:
THIS is where climate change is seen.
In sediments and sea salts, a story remains.
Was it hot? Was it cold? The data explains.
Checking atmosphere samples for gas,
scientists ask, when did they amass?
How does modern air compare?
How do patterns match up? Should we care?
Each piece is studied, ancient relic of weather.
Can we learn? Can we hold this planet together?
Earth holds its mysteries in layers of ice,
and scientists decode each telling slice.
This poem is copyright (©) Stephanie Jackson 2025

About the Writer
Stephanie Jackson
Stephanie's poems and prose have been published in Cricket magazine and various literary journals including Touchstones, where she's been a contributing poetry editor. A nature-loving creative, she writes picture books, middle-grade novels, and more. Professional memberships include the Authors Guild, the American Night Writers Association, the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators, and the Women's Fiction Writers Association. She's a contributing blogger to STEMTuesday.com and you can find her online at StephanieWritesForKids.com.