TIPS FOR CREATING A SINTERKLAAS POEM
Anyone who has paid a little attention here at Amayzine knows that I am CRAZY about Sinterklaas. It is, after my own birthday, undoubtedly my favorite day of the year. Look, just like I am quite passionately against Christmas and New Year's Eve, I pour all my love into Sinterklaas. In our home, it has been the rule for years that you buy a gift for everyone AND write a poem. Even our pets receive gifts WITH poems. Yes, it has totally gotten out of hand.
Anyway, I am crazy about writing poems. But really. Most people are a bit less into it, so let me give you some tips that hopefully will help you get through it a bit.
Start on time
To start with the most important thing. It is really not fun for anyone to suddenly have to churn out five poems three hours in advance. When you start on time and actually take the time for it, it can suddenly become really fun. You put the poem aside for a bit, look at it again the next day, make some adjustments here and there, and create a beautiful piece of poetry. And, if you are stuck and think you can't get out of it: taking a step back from The Problem really works wonders.
Play Sinterklaas music
To get in the mood, you understand. Also put a bowl of ginger nuts in front of you and then you can FEEL the Sintspiration coming to you. Just search for ‘Sinterklaas’ on Spotify and you'll find all sorts of playlists with wonderful songs.
Read old poems back
I always keep all the poems I receive and read them back before I start on my new poems. And of course, I still have my poems from last year on my MacBook. Just read them and you'll be right back in the rhyming mood.
Read ‘Ziezo’
Perhaps one of my favorite children's books. It is a collection of children's verses by Annie M.G. Schmidt and they are all so well written, really believe me, inspiration guaranteed.
Do it together
Because two heads are better than one. You can't figure out a certain sentence, but the other person might have the solution right away and vice versa.
Mick's Rhyme Dictionary
Finally, my great support and mainstay in the days leading up to December 5th: Mick's Rhyme Dictionary. A site that hasn't received an update in design since 1993 and is so horrendously ugly, but works perfectly. You throw a word in and Mick spits out dozens of rhyming words back at you. Easy peasy. Just keep in mind, if you do start (shame on you!) too late, there is a good chance the site will be down, because there are more people who know about it. I once read that Mick had a good 155,000 unique visitors PER DAY the day before Sinterklaas last year. Believe me, that is really insane.
