“Be strong, like the witch hazel flower.”

— Tom Gala

Hey folks and friends,

Around 2015, I was attending a session of Exceedingly Good Song Night in NYC when a singer named Chris Carpenter was asked to lead a song. "This was written by my friend, Tom Gala of Philadelphia," he said and then he shared a song with us called Witch Hazel. It was my first time hearing what would quickly become a beloved staple of the folk singing community, a song about resilience and hope in dark times.

Witch hazel, I learned that night, is a flowering shrub that's been used in folk medicine for centuries. Indigenous Americans used it to soothe sore throats, remedy coughs, heal bruises and sunburns, and even to prevent postpartum hemorrhaging. And almost every variety of this remarkable little plant blooms in the winter, flowering in shades from yellow to red.

Which brings us to the song—

I am looking at a witch hazel, blooming in a garden

Bright yellow flowers in the middle of wintertime

And I tell my heart, be strong like the witch hazel flower

And you will not be injured by this dark and troubled time

It's a beautiful song that has carried me and many others through difficult times. I first started singing it after the 2016 election and it has been—unsurprisingly—on my mind for the last three weeks.

A lot of great people in my life have sung their own versions of Witch Hazel. You might be able to entice the fabulous Cate Clifford to sing it next time you see her, or you could listen to the recording my dear friend Ryan Salvato just released with The Cave Trolls.

I hope Witch Hazel brings you a little peace in these winter months and helps you remember that good things can come out of dark times.

Much love,
Sarah