I like songs with social messages, especially if they're positive or life lessons (like this one maybe is?) I like to write songs, following a similar path--write down the story, including lines that could be part of a song but not worrying too much about getting it into a good song structure. Then I can go back and start making it into a good song. That's always my hope, anyway.
Now this one...you have your protagonist telling us his or her story in the first person. It's an unstable theme, so lack of perfect rhyme is perfect.
So also are rhythms that are maybe a little uncomfortable and not quite consistent. Near rhymes like you have in your first two lines: line/time, or more distant rhymes like choose/truth, work great for unstable themes.
If I were working on this song, I would probably start by collecting the main story into two to three verses.
Verse 1
I'm stealing something and I'm hoping not to get caught
Chorus
I would use your "We're not here to understand" section for the chorus, setting up what you perceive (I'm saying "you" as the protagonist) as the attitudes around you
Verse 2
I get caught
Chorus (We're not here)
Bridge (or verse 3)
I'm in jail
Chorus (We're not here)
Then I would probably go back and start working on the first verse, or whatever part seemed easiest to get first.
So, here I intended to give you an example of how I might work on the first verse. I got wild and couldn't quit. I ended up rewriting the whole thing. I apologize for being so heavy handed. Keep in mind it's just one example of what can be done with your theme...many other members here could do much better--most likely, so can you. I just got all carried away while writing this and couldn't stop myself. You would probably want to do it a little differently, anyway, here's my craziness. Feel free to ignore me completely; I don't mind
:
VERSE 1
I take my time and stand in line
I try not to attract attention
A few more feet to reach the street
Please don't let me draw suspicion
CHORUS
'Cause all I hear is, "It's not our job to understand your situation
You could have stayed in your native land away from all of this temptation
Now it's too late to put it back, and I won't try to understand
Your need for food means nothing to me; your poverty is just too bad"
VERSE 2
I'm, oh, so cold and feeling old
When I sense the tap on my shoulder
A voice in my ear says "What have we here?"
And I knew my night was over
CHORUS
And all I hear is, "It's not our job to understand your situation
You could have stayed in your native land away from all of this temptation
Now it's too late to put it back, and I won't try to understand
Your need for food means nothing to me; your poverty is just too bad"
BRIDGE (or verse 3)
Now here I am, at night, in jail
At least I've gotten a decent meal
I look around at the other mates
And wonder if they met similar fates
CHORUS
Have they heard, "It's not our job to understand your situation
You could have stayed in your native land away from all of this temptation
Now it's too late to put it back, and I won't try to understand
Your need for food means nothing to me; your poverty is just too bad"
******
Again, please disregard if you agree I got too wild. It was fun to take an already-formed idea and and mess with it.
Vicki