Paper Crown

I bought a lemon at the corner stand Put it in my coat like a stolen band Walked past a man with a parrot on a chain He said, “That bird knows your name” I took a bite and made that face Like I’d been handed a dare from space Yellow juice on my sleeve, that’s fine Today’s got a crooked kind of shine And it turns, and it turns Like a coin in the air You never know where it lands But you smile when it’s there Paper crown, paper crown I wear it crooked all day Paper crown, paper crown Let the small things play (hey, hey) Paper crown, paper crown If I lose it, I’ll make one again There’s a kid with chalk on the church lot wall Drawing bluefish, one and all An old dog naps by a broken fence Like he’s got time and common sense I set that lemon on the curb Watched a sparrow steal the word From my mouth, from the air, from the sun And the whole strange day felt won And it turns, and it turns Like a coin in the air You never know where it lands But you smile when it’s there Paper crown, paper crown I wear it crooked all day Paper crown, paper crown Let the small things play (hey, hey) Paper crown, paper crown If I lose it, I’ll make one again If the floor shakes loose If the plans get bent I keep one hand open I keep one foot in A little bit odd A little bit bright That’s how the gray sky breaks Into a bite of light Paper crown, paper crown I wear it crooked all day Paper crown, paper crown Let the small things play (hey, hey) Paper crown, paper crown If I lose it, I’ll make one again (again, again) Paper crown, paper crown I make my own little kingdom again