As I Lay Dying
Embracing Eternity: Julia Othmer's Poetic Reflection on Life's End
Lyrics
As I lay dying what will I see
Contemplation of the afterlife while facing imminent death.
Will I see pastures promised to be green
Questioning the fulfillment of promised happiness or prosperity.
Will I see blue skies falling into the sea
Imagining a catastrophic event, symbolized by blue skies falling into the sea.
Will I see you coming for me
Anticipation of someone coming for support or companionship.
As I lay dying what will I hear
Wondering about the auditory experiences in the final moments.
Will I hear voices of those I love and hold dear
Hope to hear the voices of loved ones and memories.
Will I hear echoes of forgotten years
Expectation of echoes from the distant past.
Will I hear you calling for me
Longing to hear a specific person calling or reaching out.
As I lay dying what will I feel
Exploration of emotional sensations during the dying process.
Will I feel the haunting of untended dreams
Awareness of haunting regrets and unfulfilled aspirations.
Will I feel the burning of a wound unhealed
Imagery of enduring emotional pain and unresolved wounds.
Will I feel you coming for me
Desire for the presence and comfort of a specific person.
I’m holding sunlight in my hands
Metaphorical description of holding onto moments of joy or happiness.
Breathing perfume on the wind
Enjoying and savoring the fleeting beauty of life.
Is it madness
Pondering the sanity or irrationality of these thoughts.
Is it fear
Contemplating the presence of fear in the face of death.
All these questions of the end
Raising existential questions about the end of life.
Heaven is here and now
Suggesting that heaven can be experienced in the present moment.
If we make our own eden
Empowerment through the creation of one's paradise.
I’m letting loose the reins
Symbolic release of control or inhibition.
Come on, hear your angels sing
Invitation to perceive the beauty and positivity around.
Though I know the song will end
Acknowledgment that all songs, and life, have a conclusion.
I will sing on
Commitment to continue singing despite the inevitable end.
I will sing on
Reaffirmation of the commitment to continue singing.
As I lay dying who will I be
Reflection on identity and legacy during the dying process.
I will be full of thunder and lightning
Imagery of a powerful and intense presence in death.
I will have loved this life as life loved me
Expressing a reciprocal love for life and embracing it fully.
I will find you coming for me
Expectation or hope for a reunion with a significant person after death.
I will feel you coming for me
Anticipation of feeling the presence of a specific person in the afterlife.
Comment