Author: Marie O'Brien

Please see below new poems by Sheila North.
If you are inspired during this lockdown time and would like to share your inspiration with the choir (within reason) then do send to me.

Nature’s Orchestra (10 May 2020)

Quiet, listen and now really stop and hear,
There’s not a sound from far away, there’s not a sound from near,
Complete silence, so hushed to you it feels quite deafening,
Then the harder that you listen sound will be awakening.

There’s birdsong soft and tuneful, a real melodic background,
It really is the sweetest, embracing harmonic sound,
Finer and more exquisite than any orchestral composition,
It’s nature’s very best and finest exhibition.

Can you hear the breeze as it gently rustles in the trees?
The very faintest movement causing song from all the leaves,
And as the wind increases there’s a mellowing of the sound,
There’s a hum and a drone as branches are tossed around.

The first drops of rain fall silently from the skies,
So soft and so gentle they take you by surprise,
Pitter and a patter lightly drumming on the ground,
Rhythmic and throbbing, nature’s percussion has been found.

A soloist arrives and the central ground secured,
A blackbird, dressed for his performance, tallest tree procured,
His repertoire magnificent, the sound carries far away,
He greets us at dawn in the chorus and then he ends our day.

Nature’s Freedom (13 April 2020)

I sit relaxing in my hut while reading my book,
totally immersed in nature in every direction I look,
My surround is silent except for the song of the birds,
I’m encouraged to write and catch this moment in the richness of words. 

There’s the gentlest breeze just moving young leaves,
It brings a welcoming coolness which can only please, 
The perfume from lily of the valley is wafted my way,
I watch delicate flowers enwrapped in green as they gently sway.

A sound floats down as two swans fly overhead, 
Necks and legs extended, like aerial ballerinas to the skies they’re wed,
Rhythmic wings beat with their magical sound,
As to the water meadows their journey is bound  

A bumble bee joins me while in my hut, 
It briefly rests on the cover of my book now shut,
Most delicate legs and a body as soft as down,
Eager to continue his quest, hoping pollen will be found.

My garden is tiny but overflows with sights, smells and sounds, 
Ablaze with colours nature’s palette has no bounds,
I don’t feel trapped, restricted or confined,
But open to appreciate all of natures riches entwined.

Changing times (23 March 2020)

We are frightened and that has drawn us together,
We are sad and frustrated but this will not last forever.
We are on the cusp of lasting change in how our lives are lived,
Existence as we know it is being questioned and intensely quizzed.

Support and reassurance is always very close by,
Our choir will laugh with us and sustain us when we cry,
We will suffer, but not all of us together,
As one slips another rises so our help is there forever.

And now a sing a long on Fridays, life is becoming brighter,
Longer days are coming so days will be much lighter.
Our homes are being painted, tidied and spring cleaned.
Cupboards sorted, gardens tweaked, beyond what we’d have dreamed.

Look after each other, keep your distance, phone, message and write,
Wash your hands and sing the anthem then you’ll know it’s right,
Eek out that toilet paper and carefully use eggs and flour,
Take up new hobbies, read long waiting books and sing anthems in the shower.

Sheila North  

I have had delivery of my poetry books and have some spare for sale. £10.00 will cover my costs and make a small profit that I will donate to the new Winchester Hospice. Please pass on your name and address if interested and I will add you to my list. Many thanks.  sheilanorth@talktalk.net

John Wallace has been busy making virtual singing videos. This takes an incredible amount of time and effort. John is now inviting the whole Winchester Fusion Choir to take part – a huge undertaking.

Hi everyone

We’ve been thinking that it would be lovely to have a musical project that everyone has the opportunity to join in with. The project is taking shape now so this email is to ask you if you’d like to be part of the fun?

Here is the outline:

Song

I am putting together an medley of 50’s and 60’s Rock and Roll songs with words (hopefully humorous!) adapted for lockdown. There is a serious message too, the final verse(s) are about thanking everyone – including drivers, carers, food producers and of course our fabulous NHS – who are working so hard and risking their lives to help us all through this situation.

Depending on how many people want to join in, I’ll might split the song into 2(ish) verse sections to make it simpler.

Harmonies – if there any at all they will be very simple (e.g. everyone sings the same melody but octaves apart), we’ll get some variation by having different voices singing different sections/phrases.

Percussion

Some of the words relate to our favourite lockdown pursuits, including baking and so the song will (tbc) be a capella but accompanied by percussion based on anything we can find in our kitchens – Tupperware drums, saucepans (has any one got a gong?!), wine glasses, bags of rice, whatever sounds percussive!

Video

The idea is to produce a publicly shared Youtube Video so to take part you’ll need a Video recording of you:

• Singing
• Percussing (not sure if that’s a word!)
• Dancing or generally jigging about
• Clapping

You don’t need to do all of those things, just whichever ones you feel like.

• There may also end up being some sort of clothing colour/fancy dress theme too

To make the recording, you don’t need any fancy equipment, just a mobile phone, iPad, laptop, camcorder or whatever you have to hand.

So, that’s the outline…..

NEXT STEP….

1. Reply

If you’d like to join in please send an email by the end of Tuesday 12th May to:

VirtualityChoir@Hotmail.com (same address if you have any questions too)

1. Participation

If you are joining in (and I hope you do!), please give me an idea which one or more of these you would like to contribute:

• Singing, Percussing, Dancing or generally jigging about, Clapping

You can change your mind later but some idea will help me to plan the video and song parts.

1. Lockdown activity photo’s

If you have a still photo of:

• a lockdown activity – serious/unusual/funny all welcome – please send it with your email (for inspiration/possible inclusion in the video).
• A means of thanking the Covid workers and carers

4) Caveat particeps

Please be warned! I can pretty much guarantee that the video will NOT be of professional quality ! Since this is an experiment, it may prove too tricky to complete at all but we’ll have learned something and had some fun along the way whatever happens. Nothing ventured nothing gained!!

Best Wishes

John

So everyone, reply to John now and let’s get this moving along – such fun. If you miss the cut-off date then just send John an email and we will try to slot you in somehow.

Until we meet again, Liam and I send you our love.

Stay safe and well.

Much love

MarieXXX

Marie O’Brien BCA
Choir Leader ♫♪Natural Voice Network
De-stress, Relax & Trust Counselling Therapist 
www.eastleighfusionchoir.co.uk
www.winchesterfusionchoir.co.uk