i left the u.s. for andros still reeling from what i guess was the flu.
i haven’t been that sick since i was a little kid. fever and coughing
and aching and general (very relative) misery. (if you are at this
time experiencing any genuine discomfort or suffering, please forgive
my ridiculous wimpering. and i hope your life is better soon.)

i’m actually not writing to complain, but to celebrate the
wonders of the green weed that made me feel better. my good
friend, pete, who has founded the maritime arts and inspiration center
on andros, picked some leaves from a “serasee” plant in a
neighbor’s yard and advised me to steep it in hot water.

botanical drawing by Setsuko Murayama

he said i would sweat all night and have very weird dreams and feel
great in the morning. all of this proved to be very true.

here is some information about momordica charantia from what i’m sure is the
surgeon general’s primary botanical reference, the dancehallreggae.com website:

Some consider Serasee to be a sacred plant and thus it should not be
bought or sold, only given. (Something given in return may be accepted,
however.) It should be used in its natural form; nothing should be
isolated or synthesised from it.

This is for informational purposes only. Most of this information is
obtained from oral and traditional sources. No medical claims are made
here. If you have a medical problem you should see your doctor for
treatment. As with any herb, use cautiously, and note any possible
allergic reaction.


one of my serasee dreams

one of sarah sze’s