Branches in Bloom

By Mary Grace van der Kroef

Let nature speak to you through poetry that is vivid, honest, and full of quiet awe.

Branches in Bloom by Mary Grace van der Kroef is a nature-inspired Christian poetry collection that traces the turning of the year from Spring through Winter, with each section reflecting a different season of both the earth and the soul. If you love gentle, reflective poems that make you notice birdsong, falling leaves, fresh-cut grass, and the first snowfall, this book will feel like coming home.

Organized into six parts - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Creatures, and Moments - this collection invites you to slow down and look again at the world around you:

In Spring, "Pots of Hope" and "Green Spaces" celebrate new life, thawing ground, and the courage it takes for small seeds to push into the light.In Summer, poems like "Brave Reflection" and "Forget Me Not" revel in warmth, water, color, and the lush abundance that seems almost too much to hold.In Autumn, "Maple Red," "Falling's Purpose," and "Autumn's Dignity" explore beauty in change, the richness of letting go, and the glory that can be found in endings.In Winter, pieces such as "Dance of Frozen Rains," "Morning Snow," and "Winter's Whisper" honor stillness, starkness, and the strange comfort of cold and quiet.In Creatures, you will meet hummingbirds, eagles, mourning doves, blue jays, ravens, starlings, sparrows, and even an "Arachnid Artist," all revealing personality, purpose, and playful wonder.In Moments, poems like "Mountain Glory," "Rain Soaked," and "Storm" capture those fleeting instants of awe that remind us we are small and yet deeply seen.

Mary Grace writes from a Christian worldview, but her poetry is never heavy-handed. Instead, she lets Scripture and faith shimmer through images and metaphors. A line of birdsong becomes a choir of hope. An autumn forest turns into a cathedral of color. Frost painting a window, a harvest moon watching over a sleeping child, and the Sabbath rest of a Sunday afternoon all testify quietly to a Creator who cares for His people and His world.

This poetry book is perfect for:

Evening wind-down readingGifting to a friend who loves nature, gardening, or birdsPersonal reflection during changing seasons or life transitionsAdding a quiet, contemplative voice to your Christian bookshelfAnyone seeking comfort, hope, and a renewed sense of wonder

With simple yet evocative language, Mary Grace van der Kroef paints scenes you can feel and smell: the chill of soil beneath your fingertips, the scent of yesterday's leaves becoming tomorrow's growth, the muted hush of snow as it "blankets" the world, the rush of rain against city streets. Her poems are short enough to read in a moment but deep enough to stay with you throughout the day.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1777721180
• ISBN13: 9781777721183
• Release Date: July 2023
• Publisher: Mary Grace Van Der Kroef
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"