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 remnant 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 sungl***es 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
The blood runs in his veins
A remnant 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 comp***ion
I'm stifled by my limitations
Anesthetic apathy
Come take the pain away

And my heart still beats inside
The blood runs in my veins
A remnant 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