Ben's Poem written for SAS after Christ Church, Oxford

To all members of Schola Aquae Sulis who were at Oxford.
A mere thankyou would not suffice for all you did at Christchurch.

At Oxford a choir did assemble,
From far and wide S.A.S dash,
And quickly they need to resemble
A cathedral style choir with panache.

For all its a bit of a worry,
with its difficult music and chants,
Many practices too, with relentless to-do,
to deal with Bens harmonic slants.

For Katie and Laura, 'mongst many
being new was enough of a shock.
But with A level grades just a few days away,
there was worry and need to take stock!

To all, please, if Ben seems unloving,
inconsiderate, pushy and dumb,
He loves all his singers, and pleading
says, to Chester, nest summer, please come.

He hopes you'll forgive his transgressions,
and think of him kindly, if time!
And despite his mistakes and his errors,
and his 'Go's at the alto line.

Please see his intentions are honest,
maybe strange and disjoined and wiered,
But he loves every one of his singers,
and he hopes that he's not to be feared.

So finally reading this ditty.
give a thought to the way I can better...
delight all my choir, with gusto and fire,
Use some paper and write me letter.

Later memories of the tour...

We hope you will remember well
the drinkies at the 'Bear',,
For S.A.S will long recall
that mystery sloping stair.

The Crown, The Mitre, meals and beer,
rekindle memories fond;
Al fresco evenings on the grass
to seal our social bond.

The chats, the thoughts of music past
of music yet to come;
The joys, the moments that went wrong,
catastrophies for some.

Yet all these things just go to make
the trust and love we find,
Each time we meet to sing again,
to later leave behind.

The singers come, the singers go,
the memories pass and fade;
But S.A.S. pursues its task,
and always makes the grade.

I hope both singers new and old
and many undiscovered,
Will still come back and sing again,
voices and souls recovered,

Discussing dress, the heat, the pubs
the ladies need for tea, The Priory room, its quiet and space...
thoughts flooding back to me!

The quad, Tom tower, the bowler hats
the sermons long and daunting,
The beauty of OUR Christchurch choir,
creating music haunting.

Now as I sit, reflect alone,
on tour, on choir resiliant;
Remember S.A.S. is us,
You and the others...brilliant