Bad Penny

It all started when I kissed you
You smiled because you knew
There was something set in motion
Only currency could move

You led me to an empty bench inside a public park
You made me wait
You watched my watch
And watched the sky go dark

I looked around and got nervous
I heard a crying crow
And a tiny circle rolled our way
And settled in the snow

You pointed at that penny
And it pointed back at you
And our great emancipator
Told yours truly what to do

He said, we’ve all got money
We’ve all got time
So, let’s sell the house, sell the car
Sell the deed to a copper mine
Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone
The tomb is empty, children
Leave this livin’ world alone

I grabbed your hand and hurried
Knew we didn’t have much time
We left the trail and ran like hell
To make it out alive

We scurried under bushes
Like a field mouse from a snake
I felt a tug upon my shirt sleeve
From a beggar at the gate

He said, can you spare a nickle son
I’m down to my last two
I said that I was done with change
So a dollar would have to do
But when first I touched my wallet
Then I realized my mistake
Our great emancipator’s big green head began to shake

He said, I’ll see your penny
And I’ll raise you ninety-nine
Seems all your gods and prophets
Never reached the welfare line
Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone
The tomb is empty, children
Leave this livin’ world alone

I tossed away that greenback
And that beggar-man just laughed
I hailed a speeding taxicab
Before it hurried past

He asked me, where to mister?
Up to Sixth and Fifty-Third
I looked at you, you looked at me
And we didn’t speak a word

There was silence in the city
As we passed under the Moon
And that taxi-man starting whistling
Some old antebellum tune

He turned around to face us
‘Neath the lights of Broadway
And that tall man in the tophat said
There’s something I’ve got to say

I don’t want your money
Just a minute of your time
You can sell your house, sell your kids
Sell your soul to the picket line
Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone
The tomb is empty, children
Leave this livin’ world alone