The Cremation of Sam McGee

This is a great old poem, where two companions in the cold of the great North, find out what being a friend really means. Sam is always cold, so much so that he persuades his friend to cremate him if he dies. He perishes and his friend tries to take his friend back to civilization for a proper cremation, but finds the trail too rough and long, so he cremates Sam in an abandoned boat. The great lines come when the friend just has to peak in to see if the corpse is finally gone, but instead sees his friend, basking in the warmth of the raging fire, who tells him "it's the first time I've been warm." Macabre, but gorgeous.

I remember reading this poem in middle school, like seventh or eighth grade, and everyone in my English class having a gross-out reaction to it. This poem is about a prospector in the Yukon Territory of Alaska during the late 19th/early 20th century gold rush and his friend, Sam McGee. The territory is so inhospitable that Sam McGee asks his friend to cremate him when he dies because his body couldn't stand to be buried in the cold ground. The prospector ultimately makes good on his promise and cremate Sam McGee in a makeshift crematorium. This poem is morbid but has a comical moment at the end when the prospector opens the crematorium door to check on Sam and find him smiling in the furnace asking him to close the door because this is show more the first time he's felt warm. So I think it was the gallows humor that threw everyone in my class off guard. I would totally recommend this for students in upper elementary school or middle grades. The poem itself has a great rhyme scheme and has a linear narrative that is easier to follow than some of the more abstract poetry. The kids might also get a kick out of the sarcasm and dark humor. show less

Reaction: Service’s written words coupled with Harrison’s vivid, colorful paintings of the North give a magical, almost spiritual feel to the whole story. While Harrison’s paintings are in contrast to the cold North (as described by Service), the humorous, rhythmic lines of the poem match Harrison’s vibrant, majestic and fun colors. This is an entertaining read aloud children and adults will enjoy over and over again!

It is difficult for me to give this book a fair review as I'm already familiar the poem and the accompanying paintings from the short film belonging to the National Film Board of Canada. The book is a fair substitute.

Ted Harrison's paintings were done for the poem and show the story. The artwork is great to look at but I can't help but miss the narration of Max Ferguson (Canadian radio personality) in the film version. Ideally, this is a book to read and share aloud as a this poem feels much better to me recited rather than read.

The Cremation of Sam McGee is a narrative poem. The language is rich and itself paints a picture of what it is like in the arctic. However, it also waxes fantastical towards the end, possible so as not to depress the reader overmuch. The illustrations are wonderful, incorporating movement and allowing the reader to better understand the setting of the poem itself. The book would be a hard read by itself for a child under 4th grade, but it is a wonderful poem for read-aloud for younger grades as long as you stop once in a while to ask the kids what is going on.

A good poem for boys to memorize (see the Johnny Cash recording). The art is beautiful and also distinctive, making this a worthy book for a home library.

"Sam McGee" is a classic. I have heard it referred to many times but have I had not read the entire poem until now. It is a fantastic poem with a clever twist for an ending. It may move right up there with "Casey at the Bat" as favorites I read to my class. This book does a fine job with the poem and the illustrations enhance the story. The illustrations are in full color, usually full page, and they are vibrant and colorful. A great book to have in a classroom and share with the class...especially on a cold winter day.