The Cremation of Sam McGee

by Robert W. Service

In 1986 Kids Can Press published an edition of Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee" illustrated by painter Ted Harrison, who used his signature broad brushstrokes and unconventional choice of color to bring this gritty narrative poem to life. Evoking both the spare beauty and the mournful solitude of the Yukon landscape, Harrison's paintings proved the perfect match for Service's masterpiece about a doomed prospector adrift in a harsh land. Harrison's Illustrator's Notes on each page enhanced both poem and illustrations by adding valuable historical background. Upon its original publication, many recognized the book as an innovative approach to illustrating poetry for children. For years The Cremation of Sam McGee has stood out as a publishing landmark, losing none of its appeal both as a read-aloud and as a work of art. Kids Can Press proudly publishes this deluxe hardcover twentieth anniversary edition -- complete with a spot-varnished cover, new cover art and heavy coated stock -- of a book that remains as entrancing as a night sky alive with the vibrant glow of the Northern Lights.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Classics, Canada, Childrens, Fiction, Short Stories

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

This author is the the British-Canadian writer of Yukon poetry. For the British historian of modern Russia, see Robert Service.

Robert William Service was born into a Scottish family while they were living in Preston, England. He was schooled in Scotland, attending Hillhead High School in Glasgow. He moved to Canada at the age of 21 when he gave up his job working in a Glasgow bank, and traveled to Vancouver Island, British Columbia with his Buffalo Bill outfit and dreams of becoming a cowboy.

He drifted around western North America, taking and quitting a series of jobs. Hired by the Canadian Bank of Commerce, he worked in a number of its branches before being posted to the branch in Whitehorse (not Dawson) in the Yukon Territory in 1904, six years after the Klondike Gold Rush. Inspired by the vast beauty of the Yukon wilderness, Service began writing poetry about the things he saw.

Conversations with locals led him to write about things he hadn't seen, many of which hadn't actually happened, as well. He did not set foot in Dawson City until 1908, arriving in the Klondike ten years after the Gold Rush, but his renown as a writer was already established.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Service.

Reviews

[Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WAS SICK WITH DREAD, BUT I BRAVELY SAID,
“I’LL JUST TAKE A LOOK INSIDE…”

AND THERE SAT SAM, LOOKING COOL AND CALM,
IN THE HEART OF THE FURNACE ROAR,
AND HE WORE A SMILE YOU COULD SEE FROM A MILE,
AND HE SAID, “PLEASE CLOSE THAT DOOR!”

I guess Sam McGee had Raynaud’s Syndrome. And if so, the Yukon Gold Rush was not the best venue for the poor guy.

I guessed that, because I’ve got Raynaud’s Syndrome; and my Dad has it too.

Don’t worry - it’s not life-threatening - my dear Dad’s 100th is this Christmas, and he still chugs along quite amiably. And it’s not contagious either, should you bump into me one day on a street corner.

It happens when your extremities - hands and feet - are icy cold, a warm ambient temperature notwithstanding. It’s treatable, but I haven’t bothered…

The fewer meds I take the better.

I prefer my mind sharp!

Anyway, Raynaud’s was Sam’s problem. What overrode that, though, was his lust for lucre!

Our Pierre Berton, if you’re interested, has written the best all-fired account of those years of Canada’s FIRST Instant Billionaires. Liquor isn’t cheap up North, but it flowed like water back then in the Yukon. You win some and you lose some.

Mark Twain scored his first literary hit with a Gold Rush tale - but that was in the earlier years, in California. I guess, though, he hadn’t copywrited it - every pop author’s worst nightmare - so learned his lesson several times over.

So Sam’s got Gold Fever, and it does him in.

Lo and behold, the crematorium revives him (ghastly way to go!).

But if you like happy doggerel in the vein of Edward Lear -

You’ll LOVE this one…

Plus it’s FREE on the Web!

https://youtu.be/sax1JekPQMg?si=Mjr9i...

(By kind courtesy of Debbie Roth)

[Maede · Rating 4 out of 5]

شعر «سوزاندن سام مک‌گی» اولین بار حدود سال ۱۹۰۷ در مجموع اشعار رابرت سرویس چاپ شد. شاعری که بهش لقب «شاعر یوکان» داده بودند و نوشته‌هاش که ریتم سریعی دارند و طنزگونه هستند در قرن بیست محبوبیت زیادی داشتند

ماجرای این شعر در مورد دو مرد در بحبوحه‌ی تب طلای یوکان (منطقه‌ای در شمال کانادا) در اواخر قرن نوزدهم و اوایل قرن بیستمه. منطقه‌ای که هزاران نفر رو به امید پیدا کردن طلا از آمریکا و کانادا به سمت خودش کشوند و بعد طبیعت وحشیش جون خیلی‌هاشون رو گرفت یا زندگیشون رو به جهنم یخ‌زده‌ای تبدیل کرد. رابرت سرویس در این زمان در یوکان به عنوان کارمند بانک کار می‌کرد و اسم سم مک‌گی رو هم از فُرم یکی مشتریان بانک به خاطر داشت. داستان هم احتمالاً از ماجرای واقعی‌ای الهام گرفته شده که در اون زمان جستجوگران طلا برای هم تعریف می‌کردند

داستان با لحن طنزگونه اما سیاهش از لحظه‌ای شروع میشه که سم از دوستش خواهش می‌کنه که اگر مُرد، جنازش رو توی سرما رها نکنه و هرجوری هست بسوزونه. خیلی زود بعد از گرفتن این قول از دوستش، سم می‌میره و جنازه‌ش روی دست دوست بدبختش می‌مونه که هرجور هست کشان‌کشان با سورتمه حملش می‌کنه و راهی برای سوزاندنش پیدا می‌کنه

علیرغم موضوع تلخش، نحوه‌ی بیان طنزگونه و ریتمیکش باعث شده شعری بشه که به عنوان فولکور برای کودکان کانادایی خوانده می‌شده‌. ریویوهای مختلفی خواندم که از شنیدن این شعر در بچگی دور آتش یا در مدرسه گفته بودند که خیلی برام جالب و عجیب بود. البته که همراهی شعر با تصاویر تد هریسون کتاب رو بیشتر در دسترس کودکان قرار داده. تصاویری که جاذبه‌ی سادگی و خط‌های پررنگشون رو اول اصلا درک نکردم، اما بعد از نگاه کردن به نسخه‌های با کیفیت آنلاین بیشتر به دلم نشستند

تصویر آخر شعر رو فکر نکنم هیچوقت فراموش کنم. لحظه‌ای که در کوره باز میشه و سم وسط آتش با لبخند نشسته و میگه درو ببند! تازه گرم شدم! فکر می‌کنم فراتر از اهمیت دوستی و وفا کردن به قول، محتوای این شعر در مورد آرامشیه که مرگ بعد از یک زندگی سخت می‌تونه به انسان هدیه بده

کتاب و صوتیش رو می‌تونید از اینجا دانلود کنید
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۴/۸/۲۱

[Theo Logos · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold…

I first discovered The Cremation of Sam McGee when I was around 10 years old. It was in a collection of story poems, and I was immediately entranced by it. It’s tale from the wild Yukon smacked of adventure, in the same vein as Jack London’s The Call of the Wild or To Build a Fire. The poem builds a story that is ominous, even creepy, while all the time shot through with dark humor, and climaxing with a ludicrous, shaggy dog story ending that in no way diminishes its dark mystery. It’s really just bloody brilliant!

This handsome volume turns the poem into a beautiful book for kids, and I wish I had discovered it while my boys were still young. Ted Harrison’s illustrations are bold and striking. His use of an unusual color palette (black, purple, pink, red, blue) and bold, blocky shapes within a still representational style are perfectly matched to the poem’s dramatic verse.

All poems should be read aloud, but this one in particular. I cannot read its cadences without my voice taking on the twang of a grizzled, old Yukon prospector.

https://youtu.be/sax1JekPQMg?si=B1-EIEPgLsoG4pRE

[Dream.M · Rating 4 out of 5]

این فقط یه شعر دارک نیست، یه داستان کامله که شروع، میانه، اوج و پایان داره. اون پایان بینهایت درخشان که همه سردی و وحشت داستان رو به یه لبخند تلخ تبدیل میکنه .
من از چنل سعید برداشتم که از چنل مائده برداشته بود :)

[Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cremation of Sam McGee is one of my all-time favourite poems and the artwork in this edition by Ted Harrison makes this particular book one of my favourite possessions. Pierre Burton's introduction outlines why Harrison and Service are particularly well-matched, both being from England and each separately falling in love with the Yukon.

Service's poem provided one of my earliest encounters with dark humour and decades later, it still resonates; just to hear the opening lines, "There are strange things done in the midnight sun / By the men who moil for gold," gives me a shiver of anticipation and immediately puts a smile on my face.

I've yet to visit the Yukon but it is on my bucket list. Until I get there, I will regularly re-read this colourful volume.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;

Brilliant - a story that made me feel and think.

I recommend Johnny Cash's reading.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 - 2004
Finally! I've read something by Robert Service. And the art complements the poem beautifully. This is definitely a keeper.

5 - 2023
The art, the poem, the commentary, the intro, note from Harrison (the artist) -- all good

[Randal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with "The Shooting of Dan McGrew," this was my introduction to the fact books could be / were written about the North. While Hazelton B.C. isn't as far north as Lake Lafarge, in the days before the Stewart-Cassiar highway, it was closer to the Yukon in spirit than any other place I've been since.
A beloved favorite of my childhood.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite poems. I memorized it in high school and can still remember most of it. I got this edition to read to my 6- and 8-year old granddaughters, thinking they would like the surprise ending, but they mostly just wanted to know why people did cremations and why dead bodies froze. Maybe they'll have a better appreciation for it when they get older.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright I am slightly confused about this poem, which isn't a good thing to one who read it so many times. This is one of those epic poems that tell a story and is of such clear opinion that it is included in almost every classic poetry anthology and included in many an older school day curriculum when it comes to poetry but this isn't the name that I remember nor do I remember all the verses that I just read over. Is it possible they have dumbed it down and made it much reader-friendly at one point?

Anyway the poem has a wonderful rhythm to it although not one of the best and it does bring up in beautiful details what it was like in the gold rush days. For those who have read such Classics that Jack London did on the subject this just adds to those books and those Classics also add to the poem's own background in reminding the reader how roughly cold and cruel that world was, especially for those who weren't ready for it.

The writing is easy to understand and devour for it isn't Old English although the subject matter may be a bit dark for some. All in all it is a good poem to enjoy, especially on those really cold winter days when you can wrap yourself up and hide from the elements while agreeing with Sam that a fire is the only way to warm up your bones with such temperatures.

[Reading Reindeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantastic poem makes fervently-solitary me want to have children just so I can read this to them with a loud voice and exaggerated rhythm. It demands to be read aloud. This is the most fun poem I have ever read. I bought this large, hardcover edition at full retail price in a specialty kids' store because I saw it and had to have it, $20 for 124 lines of poetry or no.

The Cremation of Sam McGee is a Canadian classic, though how likely kids in other countries are to be taught it I don't know. If you're an educator, give it a look-through. I can't speak as to the appropriateness of the content for young listeners according to your local parents' group, but I guarantee your kids will love it. *Marty McFly air guitar riff*

Summary: Guy hauls his dead buddy’s corpse around the Yukon. Lyrically.

P.S. I ended up reading this aloud to one of my cats as he licked himself. Still fun!

[MKF · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a kid and it has always stuck with me though I forgot the poem. I am glad I reread it though since it is a good poem and one I will read again in the future.

[Steven Godin · Rating 4 out of 5]

.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weirdest. Children's book. Ever.

Now, I can appreciate this for what it is. "The Cremation of Sam McGee" is a famous poem by Robert W. Service. It was released in the form of a picture book with bold accompanying illustrations. That, by itself, isn't so bad. What I don't understand is why it was published by a children's book publisher and marketed for that age group.

This is a book about death, cremation, and a body sizzling in a boiler. It has its moments, and it's actually kind of amusing... if you're an adult. This just doesn't work as a children's picture book. For one thing, each illustration has an explanatory caption (as if readers are too stupid to understand what they're seeing), which is kind of condescending. I think the publisher was trying to teach about life in the north at the same time, but it didn't really work. Also, some of the pictures and text aren't really appropriate for kids. One illustration shows the body in the fire, and the text talks about his friend stuffing the body in the boiler, and then the grin on the dead body's face as it's burning. Creepy enough for you? Wait, it gets better. The corpse starts to talk.

I admit, I enjoyed the poem. But I wouldn't give it to a child. Preteens and teens would get more out of this, but they'd probably be past the point of reading picture books. I shudder to think of the trauma this book might cause for some unsuspecting child who picks it up.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My great grandfather would recite this book - and it is a story to be told aloud. This poem was written in 1907. It's always interesting reading something from generations ago. The perspective is always more raw, direct, and I think it can be a refreshing change for children.

[Bryce Van Vleet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this in an Airbnb. Disturbing, moving, fascinating. An amazing folktale we should talk about more.

[Amanda J Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom used to read this to my siblings and I frequently. It's my absolute favorite work of poetry. I have much of it memorized. The illustrations are captivating.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
(Robert W. Service, The Cremation of Sam McGee, p.--)

I don't know about outside Canada, or even beyond the Eastern Coast, but in the part of the Great White Way that I'm from The Cremation of Sam McGee is required reading in elementary schools. "But isn't the subject matter a little much for young children?" I hear you ask. Yes, yes it is; I had nightmares of the cremation scene for weeks. But the poem the book illustrates has such a fun, easy, lyrical rhythm that it's the perfect read-aloud book. Rereading it now that I'm older I still love the rhythm, and while the story of a man hauling around a corpse looking for a place to burn it is still an unsettling description, I'm able to appreciate it rather than have nightmares about it. The book is actually Young Middle Grade, not Children, but I’m using it for this month because of when I was personally introduced to it.

Ted Harrison's artwork is pretty and had a nice blocky effect, like stained glass. He also made a point of using an abundance of strong colors despite terrain one would normally picture as a blank slate.


THE VERDICT?
A great read-aloud story and with appealing artwork and a clever punchline.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry is not usually my thing, but this book is just a work of art.

I love the meter. The way the words roll, each one perfectly chosen. I love the fact that it rhymes. (I know that poetry doesn't have to, but the stuff that doesn't rarely feels poetic to me). And I love how the rhymes just fall naturally in the middle of sentences. So much thought went into every word choice and placement! But it doesn't feel like that. It's like watching an expert athlete. All the hard work they put in makes the final product look effortless.

I also need to credit the beautiful illustrations of Ted Harrison which do a lovely job of setting the scene, using colour in remarkable ways.

Highly recommend this short but beautiful book.

[Anna Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be a great read aloud to middle elementary due to the ironic/mystical twist at the end. They could also read it to themselves for entertainment.

This story follows a man and his friend on their quest for gold, but the friend, Sam McGee, ends up dying along the way. His last request is to be cremated, so the main character agrees to fulfill this wish, but receives a surprise when he does it.

This would be a great read if you're discussing the various gold rushes in history, as it's a fun poem that explores some of the dangers of being led by gold. The art style is also different from some other art that I've seen and it would make a great art study for students.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I wasn't as blown away by the art like all the front matter said I would be. Also, I have a love/hate relationship with the page by page explanations/interpretations of each painting. It disrupts the flow of the poem reading itself, however, it was helpful to have more insight. Until now, I've only read the black and white poem words. I would love to see a modern day cache in the Yukon. They do something similar in Yellowstone.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic poem has been released as a twentieth anniversary edition with excellent illustrations. Children will enjoy the rhythm of the poem and the vivid imagery and humor. It would be appropriate to share as a read aloud with children between five and seven. Older children may enjoy reading it independently.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father used to recite this poem from beginning to end at the campfire. It always gave me chills. I’m currently in the process of trying to memorize so I can do the same thing with my friends. It’s such a great story, I’ll always smile when I hear it, and get goose bumps.

[Jaye Latts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good poem, good rhyming pattern, excellent illustrations.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There are strange things done/in the midnight sun/By the men who moil for gold/The Arctic trails have their secret tales/That would make your blood run cold/The Northern Lights/ have seen queer sights/But the queerest they ever did see/Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge/I cremated Sam McGee.”

Brrrr. One of my favourite poems that my dad read aloud to me when I was little. Bedtime stories were my dad’s jam, and maybe it’s the Irish blood in his veins, but he was (is) a master storyteller. He made stories come alive. Anyways. My parents lived in the Yukon for a few years, and that experience must have given him some extra insight/magic into the famous Northern Canadian cold, because man, could my dad sell this one.

Robert Service was a mild-mannered bank clerk in real life, but the way this poem makes the Arctic come alive, you’d think the man was a veteran of the Klondike. It’s funny; the version of Sam McGee I remember from my childhood conjures up images of grinning corpses, lonely cold, and complete silence, save for the sound of a lone sled’s runners slicing eerily through the snow. Bleak, strange, wildness…all surrounded by devastating, enveloping cold. When I pulled it off the shelves today and gave it a quick re-read, I was surprised (and delighted) to find that not only does it still have all that wildness, it’s funny, too. There is definite humour in these pages – the unnamed speaker of the poem lends some definite snark to the situation.

What a great tale. Each time I read this poem, I get chills. There are poems that have the ability to completely transport us to a specific time and place, and Robert Service’s The Cremation of Sam McGee remains one of the best. Brrrrrrr!

P.S. Bonus Canadian points go to this edition because it's illustrated by Ted Harrison.

[Kortney Rupprecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Service, Robert W. The Cremation of Sam McGee. Illus. by Harrison, Ted. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd., 1986. Unp. Elementary.

Set in the Yukon Territory during the time of the Alaskan Gold Rush, Sam McGee is a gold miner from Tennessee who dies from the bitter cold. Before death, he asks his partner to grant his dying wish, to have him cremated. The poem follows the man lugging around Sam’s corpse, waiting to grant his dying wish. At last, when he does, Sam comes alive and is happy to be in the fire, finally warm. The lyrical text and third person point-of-view, combined with bold illustrations add to the irony and drama of this classic poem

AK: Yukon, Gold Rush, Dog Sled, Parka, Northern Lights, Lake LeBarge

Activity: Pair this book with a lesson on the Alaskan Gold Rush. Talk about the dangers that men and women faced during that time.

[Re • · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this is absolutely stunning. Like I wanna eat it and make it my own!! So tremendous kudos and inspo points right there.

I had to read this few times to take everything in on and off throughout my day. And I just!!
It’s beautiful honestly it’s just some dude wanting to be cremated and his bud being like “okay sure I guess” lmao and the tedious journey to do it. Wow. True friendship, but like that so sad too.

It’s beautiful, kinda sad, yet so simple. I liked it a lot and will defs have to add to my collection!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thin quick read from my stash, the immortal poem by Robert Service, in book form illustrated by Ted Harrison, the artist behind my reason for buying this book and its twin, the Shooting of Dan McGrew. I read both books again in a matter of minutes while studying the remarkable artwork. Two great little books which will return to my shelves, until needed again, perhaps for another year-end book number swelling exercise 😉

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1986 we took the girls to Vancouver for the [World's Fair] and purchased the Kids Can Press version of Ted Harrison's paintings of "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service in the Yukon pavilion. This book is a treasure as our family has long enjoyed Service's poetry and we will always remember Russ's reading of Canadian poetry to our exchange students.

[Jessica DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breezy read with a forward by Pierre Berten that is ripe for analysis. The poem by Service is charming and the artwork by Harrison is gorgeous (though coloured by a touch of cultural appropriation).

I may write a short essay exploring the representation of cold in Canadian culture in this poem/artwork/book.