furies that follow us

it is true that if one disaster strikes you
it is going to strike you again
and again and again

maybe it is luck, maybe it is fate
or maybe you relinquish
your hold on things,
bowing to the inevitability
that it will happen again

in any case,
the same thing will strike you
many many times

so that you can get it right
the last time

and it is up to you
whether you learn, and grow
each time it happens
and break the chain
when you are able to

or whether you
let it flood you away