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| April 1 , 2004 | The
Monthly Newspaper of the NYSSCPA |
Vol.
7, No.6 |
Poetry Inspires Power
By Barry Doll, Manhattan/Bronx Chapter President-Elect
Who mixes poetry and pizza on a cold winter’s night?
The members of the Manhattan/ Bronx Chapter carved out time from their busy-season schedules to let their hair down and feed their minds and bodies with some homegrown poetry and Little Italy pizza.
On Feb. 26, over 40 chapter members and friends met at PricewaterhouseCoopers to add a little culture and carbs to their hectic lives.
This was the chapter’s third annual Poetry and Pizza event, and by far the most successful.
Readings were made by six aspiring poet laureates. Bill Aiken, the chapter’s published poet, presented several poems from his rendition of Aiken’s Summer ’92 Collection, including “Power” (printed here).
Master of Ceremonies Jeffrey Reiss entertained the group with several renditions and numerous humorous comments. And the group was serenaded by music from Peter Frank.
A delightful time was had by all. Get ready for the chapter’s next Poetry and Pizza event.
Power
What is power, that man hungers and thirsts for it?
Does the desire for it arise out of a need for attention—recognition?
Does insecurity dominate the souls of those who pursue power vigorously?
Is power generally sought for good or ill?
As we stand in the distance and observe, do we generally find the wielders of power
interested in the wellbeing of the masses?
Is the ultimate goal of a power broker known to him or her?
When they began “running the race,” did they
contemplate sharing the benefit of their
victory with those less fortunate?
Assuming they contemplated sharing, did this
desire wane as victory became imminent?
Did selfishness and self-aggrandizement abound after victory?
Did they have amnesia, believing they were self-made?
When amnesia and selfishness set in, the process
of lost power has begun.
Copyright 1992 William Aiken
Barry Doll can be reached at barry.doll@us.pwcglobal.com.
