The Cover Photo

A Foto da Capa

The artist's portrait when he was youngO retrato do artista quando moço
Isn't a promising, pure paintingNão é promissora, cândida pintura
It's the image of a petty thief, a loserÉ a figura do larápio rastaqüera
In a photo that wasn't meant for the coverNuma foto que não era para capa
A pose for the camera so stiffUma pose para câmera tão dura
Whose focus completely undermines the lyricismCujo foco toda lírica solapa

The light was dim in that dungeonEra rala a luz naquele calabouço
The talent's skylight was blockedDo talento a clarabóia se tampara
And the poet he always knew he wasE o poeta que ele sempre se soubera
Clearly wasn't looking at any futureClaramente não mirava algum futuro
He saw the cop from the shadows that growledVia o tira da sinistra que rosnara
And the photographer up front snapping the shotE o fotógrafo frontal batendo a chapa

It's a photo that wasn't meant for the coverÉ uma foto que não era para capa
It was just the flip side, the dark faceEra a mera contracara, a face obscura
The portrait of fear when the guyO retrato da paúra quando o cara
Prepares to take a hit and face the musicSe prepara para dar a cara a tapa