The legend states, "those who kiss under the mistletoe |
If we look beyond the label 'weed', we'll find a plant rich with history, health benefits and more. Poke has been used in Chinese medicine, Appalachian folk medicine, attributed to healing cancer, arthritis, and Lyme disease. A folk cure for arthritis is to swallow one berry a day, fresh or dried, I am NOT recommending this, but have a friend who swears by it. The poison is said to be contained in the seeds so if you don't chew them and release the poison, they pass right through. Corrina Wood, founder and director of Southeast Wise Women, gives a wealth of additional information on using poke for medicinal purposes for any who are interested. The berries were used to make ink for the draft of the Declaration of Independence, I've made the ink to use for journaling as well as painting, (recipe below) and the color is exquisite! It has also been used as a dye. Few colors rival the beauty of poke. In my all of my courses, whether Enhancing Your Life with Herbs, Illustrated Journaling, Mosaics and Kaleidoscopes, A More Creative You and others, I encourage people to consider a creative approach. An interesting challenge for poke is to write a poem or a song about it. You can write your own, or if you prefer, you can listen to Tony Joe White's version! Tony wrote Polk Salad Annie, and Elvis made it famous. Ok, not as famous as Love Me Tender or Jailhouse Rock, but there are some who know and love it. I'm one of them. It's on this site - see Mabon, Poke and Elvis, or just do a google search. I have no idea why it isn't one of his best known. Actually, Elvis doesn't even know it very well - he had to use a cheat sheet when he sang it. Who but the King could get away with that? In the song, polk (poke) salad is gathered - oh, here. I'll include the lyrics below. | Poke |
Polk Salad Annie
Tony Joe White
If some of ya'll never been down south too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand what I'm talkin' about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods
And in the fields looks somethin' like a turnip green
And everybody calls it polk salad, polk salad
Used to know a girl lived down there
And she'd go out in the evenings and pick her a mess of it
Carry it home and cook it for supper
'Cause thats about all they had to eat, but they did all right
Down in Louisiana, where the alligators grow so mean
There lived a girl, that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
Cause her momma was a workin' on the chain gang
(A mean vicious woman)
Everyday ?for supper time, she'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess of polk salad, and carry it home in a tow sack
Polk salad Annie, the gators got your granny
Everybody says it was a shame
Cause her momma was a workin' on the chain gang
(A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman
Lord have Mercy, pick a mess of it)
Tony Joe White
If some of ya'll never been down south too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand what I'm talkin' about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods
And in the fields looks somethin' like a turnip green
And everybody calls it polk salad, polk salad
Used to know a girl lived down there
And she'd go out in the evenings and pick her a mess of it
Carry it home and cook it for supper
'Cause thats about all they had to eat, but they did all right
Down in Louisiana, where the alligators grow so mean
There lived a girl, that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
Cause her momma was a workin' on the chain gang
(A mean vicious woman)
Everyday ?for supper time, she'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess of polk salad, and carry it home in a tow sack
Polk salad Annie, the gators got your granny
Everybody says it was a shame
Cause her momma was a workin' on the chain gang
(A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman
Lord have Mercy, pick a mess of it)
Illustrated Journal Page - Poke
The berries above are colored with poke ink - beautiful variations from pinks to purples.
Prosperity is not in what you have attained,
but rather in what you give away...
for it is only when you become empty
that you can be filled with something greater.
but rather in what you give away...
for it is only when you become empty
that you can be filled with something greater.
"My mission is
to help others see and cherish the beauty,
romance and treasures within and around them
that are often dismissed or completely overlooked."
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Mikell
Mikell is a writer, artist and professional treasure hunter, finding the greatest treasures in the wonderful people who enter her life!