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As My Mother Lay Lying

As my mother lay lying
In the nursing home bed
I paid strict attention to
The things she said
As my mother lay lying I learned

Old dreams that bothered me
Since I was little
I looked at her and in a flash
I solved the riddle
As my mother lay lying I leanrned
As my mother lie dying I learned
Some more

Now she's sleeping
In the sun
Breaking free of earthly chains
One by one
As my mother lay lying I leanrned

Now just bones
And silver hair
My restless twisting mother
Just sleeping there
As my mother lay lying I learned
As my mother lie dying I learned
Some more

Now comes the time for
One final cry
Now comes the time to
Say goodbye
As my mother lay lying I learned
As my mother lie dying I learned
Some more

Jonathan Richman

Jerry,
My mother was dying (and in a coma).
I, with crude humour, told her to "hurry up and die mum".
Although in a coma, a tear welled in her eye and trickled down her cheek.
I told her I was just joking so not to get upset.
A few hours later in the early morning around 3am I let go of her hand and l said,
"I'm just going for a coffee mum, I'll be back in two minutes."
When I came back she wasn't breathing. I picked up her hand and said "I'm back mum."
She let out one long and final breath and she was gone.

What struck me (beyond the obvious sadness of the moment) was that although she was still in a coma, she appeared to comprehend all that I said and seemed to wait that extra minute so that she could die with me present.
So "coma" to me, does not necessarily mean "unconscious".

I still feel a bit fragile about the tear.
But that awkward moment (tear) taught me a bit about that transition.

As my mother lay lying I learned

as the poet, Richman, says.