HET GYMNASIUM BEEST

Het duurste cadeau'tje
Van dit hele feest
Is voor ons Ben O'tje
't Gymnasium Beest

Hij kletst philosophisch
En slaapt morphologisch
Met zijn dekens hoog over zijn ogies

Met Duits wil hy "warten"
Latijn doet hem smarten
Ook Wiskunde speelt hem parten

En dus zegt de Sint:
"Koop wetenschap, kind!"
"En't geld eens met blijdschap gegeven"
"Zal je baten in 't latere leven."

This is the poem my Father gave me as a Sinterklaas( December 5) present some 60 years ago
At least, it is as much as I can recollect. It also is one of the most memorable presents I received.
Of course, it will suffer in translation, but here's the rough equivalent in English:

THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BEAST

The most expensive present
Of this entire feast
Is for our Ben O, Jr.
The Grammar School Beast

He holds forth philosophical
And sleeps quite (quiet) morphological
With his blanket pulled high
Over his eye

With German he wants to wait
With Latin he's late
And of Math he's afraid

And so Sint gives this advise:
"Buy knowledge, my child and be wise"
"So the money once sacrificed with pleasure"
"Will in future be worth a true treasure!"

BLO fecit 19441205 and 20041220 - stories