Hurricane Katrina started me toward a broader metaphor.  You would think we humans would be smarter than we are. 

© 2005 Steven E. Cutts 
A Studio C recording in fall 2006 


That hurricane blew through about a hundred miles an hour; 

Rained down misery. 

Swept away the homes; knocked out the power; 

It uprooted every other tree 

‘Cause there was nothin’ down there to stand in the way 

Of the water and the wind that roared. 

And there was nothin’ they could do except to grab what they could 

And make a run before it came ashore. 
 

There’ve been storms come through that were just like this 

Maybe every dozen years or so; 

And folks around there have lost every thing before, 

So you’d think they’d know 

It’s not a question of if, it’s a matter of when 

Their lowland’s gonna flood once more. 

And everything they’ve built and all that they’ve owned 

Will get washed away and leave them poor.
 

But they’re back and building on the floodplain – 

Back on familiar ground! 

When the rain let up and the sun came out, 

You knew where they were bound. 

Their heads tell them it’s another blueprint for disaster, 

But their hearts can’t see another way. 

They can’t help thinking: their luck’s about to change, 

And this time it’s gonna be OK. 
 

His lady walked out on him at the top of her lungs; 

She was throwing stuff and slamming doors. 

Every love of his has ended like this: 

Just as stormy as the one before. 

Somehow he ends up in the arms of the same sort of woman 

Who can only see what he does wrong. 

It’s not a question of if, it is a matter of when 

She’ll lose interest and she’ll say, “So long!”
 

But he’s back and building on the floodplain – 

Back on familiar ground! 

When his pain lets up, he always meets some girl, 

Whose name has a familiar sound. 

His head tells him it’s another blueprint for disaster, 

But his heart can’t see another way. 

He can’t help thinking: his luck’s about to change, 

And this time it’s gonna be OK. 
 

Kings and presidents still send soldiers to war 

Against nations that have dared offend. 

Sure feels like déjà vu over and over and over and over 

And over and over again.
 

We go back and build on the floodplain – 

Back on familiar ground! 

A little time goes by and our memories fade; 

You know where we are bound. 

Our heads tell us it’s another blueprint for disaster, 

But our hearts can’t see another way. 

We can’t help thinking: our luck’s about to change, 

And this time it’s gonna be OK.