Grace Gruner

Green becomes seafoam

When we return to this beach,

its beauty is left untouched.

The ever-growing waves still fade against the shore.

The crisp breeze still blows knots into my hair.

His hands are cold, much unlike his heart,

and I step into each footprint he leaves.

But all is not the same;

there’s something that’s harder to see.

Lake Michigan moves consistent,

yet it all feels different to me.

In our shoes the same delicate sand—

once an annoyance, and now a joyful reminder.

In my arms the same knit blanket—

once hardly used, and now beginning to fray.

In his eyes the same shade of green—

once pretty, and now my favorite color.

The landscape has always been breathtaking;

it’s as familiar as home.

Now my heart appreciates beauty in the little things, 

and my green has become seafoam.

About Grace

Grace Gruner is a junior at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, studying English, Religion, and Peace and Justice. She draws much of her inspiration from her current life in Michigan and memories with her family from Sycamore, Illinois. On any given day, Grace can be found with a cup of coffee in hand and in the company of great people. She believes she was created to love people, string together words, and drink good coffee, mostly in that order.