Living under the weight of a label

The blind leading the blind, what is seen is how its heard,

the thoughts that make the story are lost behind the words. 

Do you see it as you view it, or take a deeper look

Do you read into the narrative or judge the cover of the book

Is the figure cold and dirty, the shell of what he's made

or the unforgiven soul, that is waiting to be saved.

Does that body clad so poorly hold more than what is shown

or just another mannequin, who has reaped just what was sown.

 Did you spare a dollar this morning or was your vision blind

Was that lonesome beggar just in the shadows of your mind.

You see that youth with his hooded clothes and jeans hung round his waist,

Could he be a high school scholar or does his style not suit your taste.

  That girl there, with the pushchair, yes she has a name,

  Does she love the child she carried, or did she play a foolish game

 And that solemn face behind the bars,the prisoner to his crime

Or the broken life held captive and the victim of a lie.

 That woman in the wheelchair, animated by expression,

 does she really have no hopes and dreams or are you too deaf to listen.

That classy car, the modest tie, the briefcase at his side,

Is there a dark deceitful truth, buried deep beneath his pride.

 No life ahead, a dead end job, shovelling gruel from a grease filled tray,

or the maturing child of a broken home, paying bills 'mum' couldn't pay.

Two babies need to find new homes, is it proof she couldn't cope

or could she not give the perfect life so instead she gave them hope.

So they live on a rough estate, they're deviant, thieving 'yobs'

and see their buttoned shirts and ties, they're private school 'snobs'.

Do you just see flecks of peeling paint, view this canvas as a whole

or define each stroke of the artists brush that reach right to the soul. 

If opportunity played a fairer game, made judgement realise

Then possibility could do its part, allow wisdom to remove disguise.

Yet with judgement passed and truth unseen, realisation is unable

To protect our children and ourselves 'living under the weight of a label'.