Marguerite Gérard, French
“According To Your Husband’s Letter, He Was Currently Sailing Right Around Here, Off the Coast of Morocco. Taking Into Consideration the Tides and the Prevailing Winds This Time of Year, We Can Calculate His Return Within a Fortnight. Or You Can Just Check His Location on Your Phone,” Date Unknown
Oil on canvas
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/// Charlotte’s husband is far, far away,
but he’s written this letter to say:
“Ask your father to probe
on his fancy new globe
and find how far I’ve sailed from Marseilles.”
/// “I’m aware my sins brought you disgrace
and you needed me far from your place.
Does my new latitude
change your harsh attitude?
Have I given you now enough space?”
/// She could tell that he’d been drinking grog
when he wrote that he missed how they’d snog.
From their marital bed
he’d been exiled. Instead
she now cuddles each night with her dog.
/// Real geography he doesn’t know.
His big globe there is merely for show.
When the top opens wide
there are spaces inside
where the liquor and wine bottles go.