Heart Still Beats

The girl in the alley kneels with exhaustion

She's guarded by the skinny guy

Who limps from some infection

Behind a veil of bleached thin hair, her eyes tell a story

Like a photo of Berlin, December 1944

She's looking for a handout

She's been high for several weeks now

She's too far gone for whoring

And the money just gave out

And her heart still beats inside

And the blood runs in her veins

A remnants of life remains

Her heart still beats inside

The man finally comes to the door

I've seen him several times

He always looks pissed off

And his sunglasses stay on

I think he got his biceps and tattoos while in prison

And it doesn't seem to bother him

When he says, "Go to hell"

And his heart still beats inside

And the blood runs in his veins

A remnants of life remains

His heart still beats inside

The thought it comes to my mind to somehow intervene

But it could bring me trouble and what can I do anyway?

It's hard to be effective when it happens so often

To see a life unraveling through drawn venetian blinds

I'm sickened by compassion

I'm stifled by my limitations

Anesthetic apathy

Come take the pain away

And my heart still beats inside

And the blood runs in my veins

A remnants of life remains

And my heart still beats inside

Oh God, we need You here

We're sinking fast and we don't care

The evidence is all around me

On both sides of my door our hearts beat

Our hearts beat

Our hearts beat

Our hearts beat