Opportunities Knocked

I saw god in the face of an addict
something honest almost pure  
in the sweating rattle  
of his vulnerability  
as his purged body shook  
for another taste of golden brown  
 
I met Einstein in a jail cell  
making out of it  
all he could
taking every opportunity
however limited  
to build a ladder  
out of hell
 
Still we slip between the lines  
near where poverty meets crime  
still we slip behind the times
with our economic shackle
and fabricated fines
 
Still we suffer for corporate crimes
appeased by bull shit, beer and little white lines  
just pay the fine
wear their electronic shackle
at the threat of doing time
 
The Virgin Mary lives in a  bedsit across the road
birthed our saviour from the station toilets  
pale frail  
fourteen and all alone  
 
Picasso paints masterpieces from the garage  
with a homemade tattoo gun
never having held a brush
 
while the solo voice of a falling  angel
singing out for nothing more than intoxicated fun
breaks the deafening grey silence  
of this twilight urban hush
 
I’ve seen the greatest act of kindness  
in a deed that no one ever knew was done
and courage from a beggar
where no ‘better’ man did rush
 
Still we slip between the lines  
between the system’s binds
still we slip behind the times
looking for another kind
 
Still we slip behind the times  
who knows how many minds
slip between the lines  
this  
the greater crime
 
but some day soon it will all be fine...