G
She walked into this world I made on a
Em                 G
Little park bench under the shade
      C                                             Am D
Of a sweet gum tree whose leaves were red and brown
G
I looked up and I saw her face
Em                             G
That was full of fortitude and grace
           C                                          Am D
She said, "If you don't mind, can I please sit down?"
              G
See I've been working since the morning
         Em
When the sun starts settling in
               C                                             Am D
That's when I walk across the town to where my second job begins
      G                                 Cm               G
I got two kids I must feed, I've got no time to sit with them and read
    C                 Am             D
The counselors keep on telling me my boy's got special needs


[Pre-Chorus]
             Bm
But don't we all got issues?
              C
It's just the stuff we live through
     A
Everybody's got their coffee stains
   Am                D
I ain't complaining, I'm just saying


[Chorus]
    G       D
That I ain't been to Harvard
Em          Bm             C
And I ain't got no big degrees
    G                C                   D
Everything I know, I learned it on these bitter streets
       G                D
And I, can't afford the good life
          Em                 Bm
But only real love comes for free
         C                 G
And some days my head's up in the clouds
    C              D     Am
But I'm allowed to dream


[Verse 2]
   G
As she got up and walked away
  Em                 G
I said, "Goodbye," I gave a wave
    C                 Em             Am   D
And watched that lady fade into the crowd
      G
And I thought maybe we're the same, hey
Em              G
We both cry and we feel shame
        C              Em
And we both know there still some things
     Am            D
We've yet to figure out
               G
See I've been writing since the morning
         Em
When the sun starts settling in
  C
I cross the town to check the sound
                       Am  D
Where my second job begins
G                               Em             G
I've got two kids to feed, some doubts and insecurities
  C                              Em               Am
I pray that I provide a life for everything they need


[Pre-Chorus]
             Bm
But don't we all got issues?
              C
It's just the stuff we live through
     A
Everybody's got their coffee stains
   Am                D
I ain't complaining, I'm just saying


[Chorus]
    G       D
That I ain't been to Harvard
Em          Bm             C
And I ain't got no big degrees
    G                C                   D
Everything I know, I learned it on these bitter streets
       G                D
And I, can't afford the good life
          Em                 Bm
But only real love comes for free
         C                 G
And some days my head's up in the clouds
    C              D
But I'm allowed to dream


[Post-Chorus]
    C         Em Am D
Oh, woah-oh-oh


[Bridge]
       G                        Bm
As I'm heading home, I think of how

Her shift is probably ending now
    C
And I'll be on a plane this time tomorrow
     Am              A
Some folks are on an uphill climb

Some coast along on borrowed time
      Am                           D
Still others need a little time to borrow


[Pre-Chorus]
             Bm
But don't we all got issues?
              C
It's just the stuff we live through
     A
Everybody's got their coffee stains
   Am                D
I ain't complaining, I'm just saying


[Chorus]
    G       D
That I ain't been to Harvard
Em          Bm             C
And I ain't got no big degrees
    G                C                   D
Everything I know, I learned it on these bitter streets
       G                D
And I, can't afford the good life
          Em                 Bm
But only real love comes for free
         C                 G
And some days my head's up in the clouds
    C              D
But I'm allowed to dream



[Outro]
    C      Em   Am
Oh, woah-oh-oh
    D             G     Em   G
But I'm allowed to dream
        G          E      Am
I ain't been to Harvard
G                  G
But I'm allowed to dream