PICTURE THIS



You never saw a picture of me
When I was eighteen
Living the street scene
In alleyways and on the road
Back in that place called
East New York
You never saw that picture of me
So I try to relate
In just so many words
What it was like for me
To be eighteen
You haven't seen that picture of me
All leathered out
Vest, jacket, gauntlets
Chainbelt, bandana, feather earing
Hair flowing, buck knife at my side
Steel toed boots and an attitude
If you looked at that picture of me now
And asked why I have mellowed so much
I'd tell you to look closely
At that picture of a young man
Standing there
With bloodstained hands