SQL Server 2005

Help. I have a problem:

On a 2000 box, I am calling the sp_send_dbmail stored procedure on a
2005 box (they are linked servers).

This is how I'm calling the proc (from the 2000 box), which uses
sp_send_dbmail to send the mail.

EXEC My2005Server.DatabaseName.dbo.SendNotification

@recipients = 'me (AT) yahoo (DOT) com',
@subject = 'SENDING @TOTAL,
@body = @text1 + @text2 + @text3 + @text4 + @text5

@text1 - @text5 are varchar(8000).

As you can see I'm trying to take advantage of the varchar(max) that
@body allows.

However, I get this error:
Server: Msg 170, Level 15, State 1, Line 22
Line 22: Incorrect syntax near '+'.

I need to be able to concatenate these somehow... as I cannot put them
into one large variable from the 2000 server side.

Can you see the problem here?

Help.

Thanks