As verbs the difference between protrude and poke
is that
protrude is to extend from, above or beyond a surface or boundary; to bulge outward; to stick out while
poke is to prod or jab with a pointed object such as a finger or a stick.
As a noun poke is
(us|slang) a lazy person; a dawdler or
poke can be or
poke can be (dialectal) pokeweed.