The Operatic Debut Poem by Rory Hudson

A budding young soprano
Was making her debut
After studying an aria
Till she knew it through and through.

Now, many a skilled musician
Was present on that night,
And, though courageous, our young lady
Nearly wet herself with fright.

But with great determination
She strode out upon the stage
And sang with strength and vigour
Every note upon the page.

Imagine, then, her pleasure
When the crowd cried out, “Encore! ”
She said, “Do you really mean it? ”
They begged her, “Please, sing it some more! ”

So she sang again the aria,
That she knew so well by heart
More confident she was by now
Of her mastery of the art.

And once more when she concluded,
The crowd cried out, “Again! ”
And so a third time she sang, to please
the learned gentlemen.

But when again they called for more
She said, “It’s getting late,
I really think I can’t perform
This song a fourth time straight! ”

At that, an elderly professor
Who sat in the front row
Stood up, and said, “Young lady,
You should not take it so -

If need be, you should be prepared
To sing your song all night:
You’ve got to keep on practising
Until you get it right! ”