The Cremation of Sam McGee
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The Cremation of Sam McGee is the most famous of Robert W. Service's poems. It was published in 1907 in The Songs of a Sourdough. It concerns the cremation of a prospector who freezes to death in the Yukon Territory of Canada, as told by the man who cremates him.
Robert Service based the poem on an experience of his roommate Dr. Sugden, who found a corpse in the cabin of the steamer Olive May. After the death of the title character, who hails from Plumtree, Tennessee, the persona realizes that "A pal's last need is a thing to heed" and hence hauls the body to the lake in his sleigh in order to perform the cremation.
Johnny Cash's reading of the poem was NPR's song of the day on May 9, 2006. [link]
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