Jigoku Dayū

Sewing in the illustrations
Endless torture, raging demons
All reside in devil's fire
Underworld, Yomi, home
Why is she depicting all the
Scenes of hell and its inflictings
Into her kimono's textures?
Time to see what's come to be

She has spent her life
As a servant of
Men and their disgusting desires
Metaphorically
And symbolically
Living in literal purgatory

Sewing in the illustrations
Endless torture, raging demons
All reside in devil's fire
Underworld, Yomi, home
Why is she depicting all the
Scenes of hell and its inflictings
Into her kimono's textures?
Time to see what's come to be

She has spent her life
As a servant of
Men and their disgusting desires
Metaphorically
And symbolically
Living in literal purgatory

Long ago lived Otoboshi
Daughter of a samurai (Samurai)
Father killed, the family fled into the mountains
Ambushed soon
Bandits kidnapped her
And sold her to a local brothel
Forced into a life of servitude
A courtesan for all
Naming herself Jigoku
She wrapped herself in scenes of hell
Flame and fire, skeletons
This kimono life represented
Rising to the highest rank of courtesan she climbed

But skeletons in bags of flesh is all we are
Skeletons in bags of flesh is all we are
Skeletons in bags of flesh is all we are (Is all we are)

Soon was sought by a zen priest
Who wanted to meet this elite
Trading poems and revelations
Jigoku soon tests the monk
Sees him dancing skeletons
Consuming flesh and alcohol
Over the years, finding enlightenment from Ikkyū's teachings

Do not bury me or burn my body when I have died
Throw me in the fields
So that I may feed all the starving dogs
Do not bury me or burn my body when I have died
Throw me in the fields
So that I may feed all the starving dogs

It kills me to see just what they've done
It kills me to see just what she has become
It kills me to see just what they've done
It kills me to see just what she has become

It kills me to see just what they've done
(Fell ill, sings a song)
It kills me to see just what she has become
(The song ends, she dies)
It kills me to see just what they've done
(Young, but at peace)
It kills me to see just what she has become
(Life of hell cured by the hypocrite priest)