Poppies are stunningly beautiful plants that conquered the hearts of many.
From the earliest times, there were three symbols that people used to decorate the most ancient, archaic temples and sacred utensils-a grape bunch or leaves of grapes (the symbol of wine), leaves or cones of hops (beer) and a beautiful poppy flower (a symbol of sleep and death ). The ancient Greeks considered poppy not only the god of sleep (Hypnos), but also the god of death (Thanatos). It is known that the sleeping potion prepared from the poppy was already available to the ancient Egyptians, who used it as a medicine and for this they cultivated even the same species of poppy (Raraver somniferum) even near the city of Thebes, which we also cultivate. The ancients did not know the narcotic properties of poppy juice and used it only as an analgesic therapeutic agent. In our time, the healing properties of poppies receded, unable to withstand competition with synthetic analgesics. And the deadly juice of this flower, opium, the source of heroin, morphine and other dangerous drugs came to the fore. But the flower is not to blame for anything. Blame people who have lost their sense of proportion, do not feel the line between life and death, and sometimes just necrophils, fans of Thanatos ...
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Already the ancient Greek girls loved his bright flowers, tore off their satin petals and, placing them on the circle formed by the bent by the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, struck him with all their strength with the palm of their hand. The blow was accompanied by a more or less loud noise, the petal was torn, and in the strength of the cod the young Greek women determined how much their beloved was in love with them. This game was called by them a game of love, and the most flower that betrayed a heartfelt secret was called dylephilon - a love spy.
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From the ancient Greeks this game first passed to the ancient Romans, and from them to the Italians, who still exist. Echoes of it are preserved also in Germany, where the poppy is therefore often called the Klatschrose (Rose) and where this game is also practiced everywhere, but has only lost its fortuitous meaning and is only fun for children.
Even more this game has changed in France. Here, children play with poppy flowers, not so much using their petals as crackers, how many of them making pupae. To make such a doll, the poppies are bent downwards and tied with a blade of grass. Then the capsule (head) of the poppy is like a head and the body of a pupa, and the turned petals - her dress. A pupa this is usually called enfant du choeur, that is, a boy serving in the Roman Catholic church for the Mass, since the dress of these boys is mostly red.
Another use in children's games are poppy flowers in France, even in a game called "cockerel or chicken?", Where you need to figure out whether it contains a bud still poppy, white or red petals. If the petals are white, then the hen, if the red ones are a cockerel. It is rather difficult to guess this, because, for reasons not explained yet, the petals in these buds sometimes for some reason are white, although later they all become equally red.
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In addition to these children's fun, poppy flowers in the south-western Catholic countries are used to decorate churches on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Especially it is practiced in many places of Provence, where small children dressed as angels go that day in procession before the priest bearing the Holy Gifts, and sprinkle his way with poppy flowers.
From this, probably, the flowers of the poppy in Provence are also called the colors of angels.
Poppy in Little Russian songs is often still a symbol of beauty and youth.
http://www.mnemosyne.ru/flowers/flowers2.html
I'm submitting for the competition #petals.
Photo taken camera Nikon S3300 ,from personal archive.
Daily Topic List:
Sunday- #rosesopenweekend (ends on Saturday)
Monday- #flowers (ends on Sunday)
Wednesday- #pinkflowerday (ends on Tuesday)
Friday- #yellowflowerday (ends on Thursday)
Thank you #steemian community and to 
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