deepundergroundpoetry.com
The Onryo
Hair as dense and impenetrable as a foggy night
Eyes piercing like blades of obsidian
gazing, stalking, visage consumed with fury
Ceaseless anger, a woman violated and scorned
Cruel misfortunes of innumerable souls
Damned to hades
by a hand not of their own
A man with no fortune to abuse or lose
A night, peaceful, calm as a stillborn child
No voices, no squeaks or creaks
Like the infant of his wretched defeat
Mother and son passed very fast
Police confused, a killer on the loose
Atmosphere tense, a chinook carries ominous whispers
As Stringy fingers caress a self-made widower's pane
Gasping, wheezing, their lungs like hot potatos
Ashen strands and ragged kimonos
Encompassing his tortured visions
A crimson glow consumes his meager abode
Eyes faintly bursting from his skull
Skin crawling across his starving flesh
a wriggling bucket of worms in coitus
Slithering across the bamboo floor
As he initiates rigor mortis
An unforgettable face
Lips that exude nostalgia
Memories of unsettling violence
Visions of past altercations
The desecration is prevalent
Scars of jealousy and aggression evident
Closes his eyes, kisses goodbye
As the fingers enfold across his broken features
A fate inevitable, a fate eternally sealed
The Onryo strikes with vengeance
A new victim is collected.
Eyes piercing like blades of obsidian
gazing, stalking, visage consumed with fury
Ceaseless anger, a woman violated and scorned
Cruel misfortunes of innumerable souls
Damned to hades
by a hand not of their own
A man with no fortune to abuse or lose
A night, peaceful, calm as a stillborn child
No voices, no squeaks or creaks
Like the infant of his wretched defeat
Mother and son passed very fast
Police confused, a killer on the loose
Atmosphere tense, a chinook carries ominous whispers
As Stringy fingers caress a self-made widower's pane
Gasping, wheezing, their lungs like hot potatos
Ashen strands and ragged kimonos
Encompassing his tortured visions
A crimson glow consumes his meager abode
Eyes faintly bursting from his skull
Skin crawling across his starving flesh
a wriggling bucket of worms in coitus
Slithering across the bamboo floor
As he initiates rigor mortis
An unforgettable face
Lips that exude nostalgia
Memories of unsettling violence
Visions of past altercations
The desecration is prevalent
Scars of jealousy and aggression evident
Closes his eyes, kisses goodbye
As the fingers enfold across his broken features
A fate inevitable, a fate eternally sealed
The Onryo strikes with vengeance
A new victim is collected.
Published 28th Apr 2018
| Edited 30th Apr 2018
Author's Note
Just as a little backstory, the Onryo, is a vengeful spirit from Japanese mythology with a pale face, long hair and a white kimono. You might recognize this spirit as the inspiration for countless Japanese or Japanese inspired horror films, such as Ju-On the Grudge and Ringu. This poem is sort of my tribute to those movies and the Onryo, as they're one of the principal entryways that really got me interested in horror as an art form. While also hinting at a little sub story, that gives the reader a window into the victim's past.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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29th Apr 2018 5:58pm
Great tribute madhatter. I didn't realize ju-on and ringu were inspired by the onryo .
I'm going to have to go back and rewatch after reading this .
I'm going to have to go back and rewatch after reading this .
29th Apr 2018 10:42pm
Yeah sure, it's interesting how many things in Japanese pop culture are inspired by the country's mythology. Things that people uninitiated with anime, manga, etc. Stare at in utter confusion, and fans of said media forms sometimes take for granted without being aware of their history. Like the Ninetales, the Tanooki and a great deal of Pokemon.
30th Apr 2018 00:00am
Yeah Defintely , most people just don't go out of their way to research further . Not necessarily confusion , just not really thinking that it could be inspired by something else and not an original concept . Pokémon being a great example .
19th Sep 2018 1:24pm
