Poe boy

Recent events bring to mind ’The Masque of the Red Death.’ Trump Is Prospero, though far more hapless, surrounded by his royalty in the West Wing abbey. The red death sneaks in on the breath of a laughing courtesan attending Prospero’s White House West Wing ball.

Admittedly, not a perfect analogy, but consider these:

“The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure. There were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the "Red Death". ...paragraph 2 of ‘..red death’

“The tastes of the duke were peculiar. He had a fine eye for colours and effects. He disregarded the decora of mere fashion. His plans were bold and fiery, and his conceptions glowed with barbaric lustre. There are some who would have thought him mad. His followers felt that he was not. It was necessary to hear and see and touch him to be sure that he was not.” ...paragraph 6 of ‘..red death.’

Not an imperfect one either.