Ao Andon

I need the words to slide from your lips.
I’ve waited to hear them shaped by your tongue.
By the flickering light of one hundred candles,
oh, how I’ve longed for the release you bring.

All night, you’ve teased and toyed with me,
speaking the names of other demons.
I’ve tried not to pout, knowing my turn is coming.

Instead, I’ve watched you tremble,
your eyes wide with fear.
You’re irresistible when you’re terrified.

I know, with every story you start,
you want the feel of my claws on your skin
just as much as I do.

Because as each story gets told,
as each candle’s light dies,
you hear my breath behind you more clearly.
I am close enough to tangle your hair with my horns.

You know your words bring me ever closer.
And still you don’t stop. Closer, and closer I come,
until you finish all one hundred stories,
and at last, you are mine. 


Ao Andon by Matt Meyer




This poem was inspired by the prompt given at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads, Creatures of the Night and the work of Yokai expert extraordinaire, Matt Meyer (if you love learning about Japanese creatures that go bump in the night, his website Yokai.com, as well as either of his books is a wonderful resource). I was fortunate enough to attend a Japanese Ghost Story lecture he gave at Shofuso, (the Japanese House at Philadelphia) earlier this evening. So when I got home and saw this prompt, I knew I'd have to write about one of the wonderfully eerie creatures he spoke about.

The ao andon is a creature intimately linked with traditional Japanese ghost story telling parties from the Edo period. The well-to-do would gather in a room with one hundred candle-lit lanterns. For every ghost story told, one candle would get extinguished. Once the last candle was put out, the ao andon would appear, and the gods only knew what terror she had planned for guests bold enough to go that far.

24 comments:

  1. For starters, your poem is amazing. Notes are fascinating. At age 75 I can say I loved "I Get Off On You" ~ is that a good thing?

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    1. LOL - I'd say it is! I like Halestorm. Joan Jett is more my generation, but like you, I do appreciate a good rock song no matter the year.

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  2. I do love the eeriness of those ghosts less exploited.. the POV of the ghost tingles my mind, like those horns you describe... wonderful.

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    1. I had a really good time listening to the Japanese ghost stories earlier that evening and was more than happy to share some of my enthusiasm.

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  3. Gosh, Rommy this is absolutely chilling and petrifyingly good 💀 I can only wonder the horrors awaiting those who possess courage enough to blow out the last candle. Beautifully executed 💀


    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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    1. I imagine she has a very creepy finale planned out.

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  4. So titillating scary! What a wonderful tribute to a culture you love. The line about being close enough to tangle hair with horns is spine chilling!
    You must have had so much fun!

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    1. It was such a blast! It was held in my beloved Shofuso at night.

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  5. I read this one with a huge grin on my face and roaring every few lines. I can almost see the face of the speaker, blissful in the knowledge that release will come. Fantastic!

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    1. I imagine her grin got bigger and bigger as well, as each candle was put out.

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  6. This is fascinating, Rommy. It is so cool the way your inspiration came to you.

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    1. Thanks Kerry! I really like learning about Japanese culture.

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  7. Wonderfully controlled tale of terror.
    Imaginative craftsmanship

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    1. Part of the credit has to go to Shofuso's ghost story event. I'm not sure if they'll hold something like this again next year, but I'm very pleased I had a chance to go.

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  8. his fault for preparing only one hundred stories on a night like that

    much love...

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    1. LOL, Indeed! He should have been as wise as Scheherazade.

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  9. Loved this. Such a wonderful cadence of telling that heightens blowing each next candle out: a ritual dance with death and desire that consummates when everything goes dark. Amen.

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    1. It is a marvelously eerie Japanese tradition

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  10. Oh that was really awesome Rommy. The image of one candle at a time...perfect!

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    1. It was easy to be inspired by the imagery from the tradition.

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  11. Perfect Rommy!!! I really loved your words! Fantastic!

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    1. This was such a fun piece to work on. I'm glad others like it too.

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  12. Holy fuck, this was magic! I love love love to love you baby loved this!

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    1. *grin* The talk I went to was really wonderful for my muse.

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