Augusta Lebaron-Desves, French
When Coca-Cola Appropriated St. Nick For Its Advertising, the Coffee Industry Struck Back With a Jolly Christmas Character of Its Own: Sanka Claus, 1843
Oil on canvas
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Info about this artist can be found at, or perhaps in links pointed to by, her French Wikipedia page (Google translated if necessary).
/// Here, The Coconut Merchant dispenses
a street drink which refreshes the senses.
The liquorice flavor
is something to savor,
but the price barely meets his expenses.
/// The huge “fountain” has just brought him sorrow;
for its rental cost he’d had to borrow.
And the thing’s weight when full
made his back muscles pull.
He’ll be seeing a doctor tomorrow.
/// Round his neck sev’ral metal cups clink,
Which he uses for serving the drink.
The mug from which she’ll sip
has touched many a lip.
Has it been washed? Well, what do you think?
/// Juice ingredients he needs to buy
at dawn, mixing his daily supply.
All day long, trudging streets,
he tells people he meets,
“This is good for your health!” (That’s a lie.)
/// So please pity this pushy street vendor.
Breaks his back for a profit that’s slender.
Takes two hours to produce
ersatz “coconut” juice,
which today we’d just mix in a blender.
/// Foreign idioms may drive you loco.
For example, this word in French: “coco.”
It should mean “coconut,”
and most times it does, but
in this case it’s a drink… no, not cocoa.
/// Coco beverage, sources have stated,
is from licorice that’s macerated
in some lemony water,
(as Maman’s mother taught her).
Why called “coco”? To be mistranslated.
/// That large jet pack’s position, I fear,
would most likely set fire to his rear.
Also, if the thing crashed,
his top hat would get bashed.
Where’s his helmet? (He’s no Rocketeer!)