Ubu Père et Fils

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.—

Alfred Jarry, Ubu Roi (1896)

He grins and shows his wounded ear.

He hears and shows his wounded grin.

No matter what the angels fear

There’s no getting rid of him.

No matter what’s to demons dear,

Transfusion's in the regal line,

Turns tepid ichor into blood.

And in the spring hillbillies bud.

He turning says, Why, come on in,

The gore's just fine! Come in now,

See my dauphin swim!

There's lots of time before the flood

Sets fire—even to the mud.

Confusion all, both bright and dim!

Note: This poem assumed that vice-presidential candidate J. D. ("Butternut")* Vance's claim to be an Appalachian hillbilly in his book Hillbilly Elegy was valid. But evidently that is not the case—see https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jd-vance-hillbilly-elegy-trump-vp-appalachia-rcna162105.

*A nickname apparently applied to him in his native Ohio.