Lyric discussion by Kyoukichi 

Cover art for Broken lyrics by Tracy Chapman

The picture makes a promise The flesh lets it be broken

Life isn't your perfect picture, life is what you have. You can't just imagine something and hope for it to be so. Picture is one's idealism, and flesh (one's body/actions) isn't able to create an ideal picture.

Your life is never what you wanted, not even halfway 'normal'.