I was sick with dread, but I bravely said. White Fang, according to both versions of the story, comes into contact with a young man who is looking for gold in Alaska. Here, the poet depicts the scene as if the ambiance during the cremation was turned mournful. Yukon, northern part of Canada, near Alaska 63 degrees below zero- coldest temp. Readers might think of the famous song "Dixie" which starts: "Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton" Also, be sure to check out the. , gives a basic description of the poem. The poem is set in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush and tells the story of a man who cremates his friend, Sam McGee, against his wishes. The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling north pole in search of gold. Howled out their woes to the homeless snows O God! Sams wish to live in hell is an odd statement in and of itself. how I loathed the thing. Sam McGees body was discovered before the evening sky fell. Hence he told the speaker to cremate him as soon as he was dead. WILL SCL2 and SCl4 have the same shape as CH4? The use of poetic devices in this poem, such as alliteration and paradox, creates a sense of strangeness and surreality. bless you now! However, when the speaker was looking at the sky, McGee turned to him. ", Line 14: We sort of love this line. why that bitter tear? Not a big moment, but definitely kind of a cheery. With much of blame, with little praise. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service 1907. In addition to telling his friends and family that he loved them, Sam asks the speaker to say that he loved them too. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. The chilling air was stabbing them like a driven nail through the parkas fold. There! Its such a gross, weird. According to the speaker, McGee was aware of the fact that hed sooner live in hell for his greed for gold. On that night, when the speaker cremated McGee, he saw his ghost who talked with him. He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee. Hyperbole. The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling north pole in search of gold. Never fear, Shmoop is here. Inside the heart of the roaring furnace, the ghost of Sam somehow made the speaker dreadful. And the dogs were fed, and the stars oerhead, were dancing heel and toe is an example of which sound device? To fulfill his commitment to McGee, the narrator hurried, horror-driven, with the corpse of his friend. LEVEL: 6-12. To enhance his intended impact, Robert W. Service used literary devices. He compares a promise to unpaid debt. Finally, Sam gets thawed out, and the corpse comes back to life. And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm,in the heart of the furnace roar;And he wore a smile you could see a mile,and he said, "Please close that door.It's fine in here, but I greatly fearyou'll let in the cold and storm--Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee,it's the first time I've been warm". Lake Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River. The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service is a poem about a man who is desperate to get rid of his friends body. I dedicate to solemn thought After spending a lot of days there, one day McGee realized his dream was a far cry. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee includes a number of literary devices that make it more effective as a piece of poetry. Where is the magnetic force the greatest on a magnet. One of my favourite poems is this from Robert Service (called the Bard of the Yukon). Do you think we will see more as we read the rest of the poem? Accessed 18 April 2023. It was first published in 1907 as part of his collection Songs of a Sourdough. A poem comparison page with ten of the most scandalous poems and ten of the best Gothic poems. The lust for gold, human greed, suffering, horror, and vanity of human desire are just a few of the themes in Sam McGees Cremation of Sam McGee. He left the comforts of his home in search of gold in the North Pole. He crouched on the sleigh but he was not thinking about gold anymore. In a later stanza, he says that the stars oerhead were dancing heel and toe. There are also several similes in this poem including hold him like a spell and stabbed like a driven nail. What do these similes mean? And face your audience again. Robert W. Services Cremation of Sam McGee is widely regarded as one of his best poems. It seemed to him, the lifeless body of McGee replied to him with a grin. Sam McGee came from Tennessee, where cotton blooms and blows. The first thing that we might want to discuss is rhyme scheme. And he was aware of that. He says that Arctic trails have their secret tales and the Northern Lights have seen queer sights. At last, he came to the marge of Lake Lebarge. When Sams friend pulls into Lake Le Barge, the sleigh suddenly freezes over, and Sam McGee dies. Moreover, the speaker looked at the furnace and thought such a blaze was uncommon. He spent some of his life in the Yukon Wilderness. "You may tax your brawn and brains,But you promised true, and it's up to youto cremate these last remains". The poem is written in trochaic tetrameter, a metre which creates a sense of movement and urgency. Talk of your cold! After collecting those coals he heaped the fuel higher. What golden gain, what pride of place? Lake Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River. Do you get more time for selling weed it in your home or outside? Thereafter, he ironically says, I guess hes cooked and its time I looked. Here, the poet. After reading the whole poem, it becomes clear what were the strange things that happened with them who moiled for gold. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee, ballad by Robert Service, published in Canada in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough (U.S. title, The Spell of the Yukon, and Other Verses ). Readers can understand why the poet writes, The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,/ But the queerest they ever did see. Here, the queerest sight was that of the ghost of Sam McGee sitting in the furnace fire. McGee is ordered to investigate a murder in a small town in the Yukon Territory. But he went on, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low. The speaker promises he will, but its tough to find a way to do it in the dead of winter. His first permanent residence was in Summerland, British Columbia, in 1909. Explore The Cremation of Sam McGee1 Summary2 Structure3 Literary Devices4 Themes5 Detailed Analysis6 Historical Context7 Similar Poetry. It brings the two characters together. In the cremation of Sam McGee, examples of alliteration include Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the sun shines hot and the frost bites hard, and We packed him in with care, and the ice it kept him cold., The themes that exist between the stories are frequently ignored by those who do not pay attention. S similes are used throughout this poem, including holding him like a spell and squeezing him like a nail. Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038, There are strange things done in the midnight sun, The Arctic trails have their secret tales. Robert William Service was born in 1874 in Lancashire, England. However, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code. There is a simile in the line, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell. Moreover, the remark by McGee, hed sooner live in hell is an example of a paradox. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though hed often say in his homely way that hed sooner live in hell.. Its a frigid day. The Cremation of Sam McGee is a poem that tells us about Sam McGee, a prospector who died on a cold Artic trail. After that, they started their journey at the streak of dawn. Line 59: Sams funny last words let us know that hes finally beat the cold. It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say. He saw that it was named the Alice May. , the speaker says on that very night they laid packed in their robes beneath the snow. he looked ghastly pale. In the long night by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring, howled out their woes, he loathed the things that he was about to cremate. through the parka's fold, If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze, And that very night, as we lay packed tight, And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead. So, Sam hit the trail and headed north. In addition, while the speaker was looking at the furnace, he realized that such a fire was very unusual. (you may put the number of the lines or write the lines) This feeling is enhanced by the setting in northwestern Canadas icy wilds. Here, the speaker uses a metaphor. The poem presents the cremation of Sam McGee who freezes to death in the prospect of gold. The Cremation of Sam McGee is based in part on an experience of one of Services close friends, Dr. Leonard Sugden, who had to cremate the body of a miner The story is about a man named Sam McGee, who is a member of a Canadian Mounted Police force. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, Howled out their woes to the homeless snows--, And on I went, though the dogs were spent. Now, Sam is dying, and all he can do is mutter crazy things about Tennessee. Some planks I tore from the cabin floorand I lit the boiler fire;Some coal I found that was lying around,and I heaped the fuel higher;The flames just soared, and the furnace roaredsuch a blaze you seldom see,And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal,and I stuffed in Sam McGee. How do these statements affect our reading of the poem? Moreover, the Alice May was based on the derelict Olive May that belonged to the Bennett Lake & Klondike Navigation Company. The poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee, is divided into four stanzas. WebSam hates the cold and doesnt want to be buried in the frozen ground. After wandering in the bitter cold, it was a moment of achievement for him. Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River just north of Whitehorse and is still in use by kayakers. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Example of Hyperbole answer choices Miya is as slow as a sloth!!!! Sam McGee is the only person to admit that it wasnt much fun for him. It is a story about ones lust and how it has a catastrophic effect on life. It sets the mood of the overall poem. Services dialogue employs onomatopoeia in the line for reasons he did not like. And wait to feel the old year go. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring. Throughout each of the poems quatrains, a rhyme scheme (aabb) is consistently held together by a ballad form poem. My glass is filled, my pipe is lit, Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. The speaker claims that the Arctic trails have hidden secrets that may have killed those who came across them. It will now be difficult to perform this deed in the snow-covered Yukon. IV. In 1904, when Service was working in the Canadian Bank of Commerce branch in Whitehorse, he saw the name of William Samuel McGee on a form and used it in his poem. I have not seen you in ages; I have a million things to do; If I cant buy that dress, I will die! 4 0 obj WebI cremated Sam McGee. Born in Lancashire, England to a bank cashier and an heiress, poet Robert William Service moved to Scotland at the age of five, living with his grandfather and three aunts until his parents moved to Glasgow four years later and the family reunited. He turned to me, and Cap, says he, Ill cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, Im asking that you wont refuse my last request.. Robert Services Cremation of Sam McGee is an incredible example of a narrative ballad. WebQ. The speaker sounded like he was listening to a roaring furnace. McGees decision to avoid traditional punishments in the 1800s suggests that he was avoiding traditional after-life punishments. Gupta, SudipDas. Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan: "It's the cursd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. It feels like a nail is coming through your coat, he says. The speaker is matter-of-fact about McGees death, but he is also clearly affected by it. It seems that the lust for gold made him realize that the direction chosen by him was leading him to hell. WebRobert W. Service. Talk of your cold! The Cremation of Sam McGee includes a number of literary devices that make it more effective as a piece of poetry. There are several literary devices in this poem. Line 1: This mention of the midnight sun lets us know that were in a strange and exotic place. There he found a derelict jammed in the ice, named Alice May. What Sam McGee's Funeral Scene May Have Looked Like, A Possible Setting for "The Cremation of Sam McGee", What the Prospectors Might Have Seen in the Sky, What Sam's Surroundings Might Have Looked Like. The poem's opening and closing stanzas [5] Although the poem was fiction, it was based on people and things that Robert Service actually saw in the Yukon. Why fibrous material has only one falling period in drying curve? There is an evenness in the syllable-count of the lines. In a way, the whole poem has been about the fight between fire (warmth and life) and ice (cold and death). For trusted lover proved untrue? ". And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. O haggard, haunted, hidden One He talks about how McGee was a good friend, and how he will never forget him. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid,and the trail has its own stern code,In the days to come, though my lips were dumbin my heart how I cursed that load!In the long, long night, by the lone firelight,while the huskies, round in a ring,Howled out their woes to the homeless snows--Oh God, how I loathed the thing! This is appropriate for a poem which is, essentially, about a race against time. This poem presents a character named Sam McGee. At the same time, he detested the dead-body of McGee. After some moments, the stars came out in the sky. In the days to come, the speaker cursed that load off the corpse though his lips were dumb in the cold. There wasn't a breath in that land of death,and I hurried, horror-drivenWith a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid,because of a promise given;It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say. Dr. Sugden used its firebox to cremate the body of Cornelius Curtin who had died of pneumonia. In the third stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says on that very night they laid packed in their robes beneath the snow. Apparently, Sams body is making a rather unpleasant sizzling sound, kind of like your Thanksgiving turkey. McGee began to rant and rave at the Englishman, and he was unable to understand what he was saying. Qe^Jb7&\^Wl_^gZg,T*-VvSTVM|^TsS8wU(@Jv15-]uKc7WX-;Wx6<>]~OyX'gUtMX$h]1rWgSb7\{]LR3m?_ =Q@3y( ?^fdA'9bHM|# pbG'oX_bmpcFS&\r$Ho CO%~b/sAO/f:}Ls8dv.5 tMh9KquL4g,%7x $\_fkZ^l2Mw)JJo`hM/!a-z8>7E,f\db%#(]+nm7;t;R[mMuFp2@lK+6QtdflLw E,Y0+t8kZw(TB `jN2YjlNnwNNRug"k,L}Rh.}W3+z=R{@0e?xsWQrD|^,F7E|~ObB@1tXrl+8p,]-=i2Oi~(cw(E/x;>h29x@CU!Pz$:i. The Arctic trails have their secret tales, The norther lights have seen queer sights, He'd often say in his homely way that he'd sooner live in hell, Talk of your cold! I swore I wouldnt give up despite the bad trail and the fact that I felt half-mad. After reading the poem, readers can understand why the poet gives such a description at the beginning of the poem. Decide on the method for your oral reading, such as alternating stanzas, alternating lines, or alternating readings of the entire poem. Web- He asks the speaker to cremate him if the cold kills him. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked". contains some important themes such as the lust for gold, human-greed, suffering. He finally reached the marge of Lake Lebarge, where he discovered a derelict trapped in the ice. Line 28: This is a big transformation the moment that Sam is changed into a corpse. The nature of Sam McGees character is one of the most important issues in The Cremation of Sam McGee. Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no;then he says with a sort of moan,"It's the cursed cold, and it's got right holdtill I'm chilled clean through to the boneYet 'taint being dead-it's my awful dreadof the icy grave that pains;So I want you to swear that, foul or fair,you'll cremate my last remains. Why did the Osage Indians live in the great plains? Sam McGee was a character created by Robert W. Service in a series of poems about the Klondike Gold Rush. Generations of readers have grown up with the poetic description of the lives of Yukon prospectors. He lived in Plumtree, near Tennessee. He sensed his approaching death. Line 40: This is the creepiest corpse moment in the whole poem, as far as were concerned. It was extremely cold in the area. The Cremation of Sam McGee begins with a prologue. Analyze characteristics of different forms of poetry - Ballad. Because he was cunning, clever, and delusional, the narrator was able to murder him. With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/robert-service/the-cremation-of-sam-mcgee/. Whatsoever the speaker says at that time heavens scowled and the huskies howled. The wind began to blow swiftly. He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request.". Thereafter, in the first stanza, the phrase, God only knows acts as an irony in the second line. it's time to go. At last, he opened the door wide to look at whether the cremation was finished or not. And I prepare to meet the New: Check out our "How to Read a Poem" section for a glossary of terms. It was an incident that the imaginary speaker of the poem cant ever forget in his life. The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the night sky. If you are looking for information on funeral services, you have come to the right place. The clay that had been quiet grew heavier and heavier every day. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. He hated cold so he was cremated on the You falter as a Sage in pain; Sam shakes his head and admits to the speaker that he expects to cash in on this trip but he isnt saying anything about finding gold. As you may have seen, Sam is battling the weather conditions in the Arctic in order to survive. It was stabbed like a nail as it folded through the parkas fold. Some are with approbation lit, Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan: "It's the cursd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone. Such a paradoxical emotion might be confusing to the readers. What the ghost feared were the cold air and chilling storm. then Tennessee stands in for comfort, home, warmth, and the easy life. Welcome to the land of symbols, imagery, and wordplay. Robert Service was a British-Canadian poet born in 1874. Analyze how meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, poetic devices (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, refrain) and figurative language. In most of the places they get mentioned here, though, they seem sort of distant and personality-less. For each passage, identify the figure of speech being They get hungry and exhausted ("spent") just like our speaker. However, he burrowed a hole in the glowing coal and stuffed Sam McGee inside the fire. WebLearners will read and analyze the creepy paranormal short story "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service. In Robert W. Services elegantly written poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee, he employs a fine hand. A popular success upon publication, this exaggerated folktale about a pair of Yukon gold miners was reprinted 15 times in its first year. The rhyme scheme of the overall poem is AABB. They go hand-in-hand to portray how humanity suffers for this burning desire for wealth. What year is a 350 engine with GM 8970010 stamped on it? In the eleventh stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says that after stuffing the body in the furnace he made a hike. It seemed to the speaker as if the furnace roared. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled, But the stars came out and they danced about. The description of the preparation of burning his friends body is no doubt horrific and disturbing. How do you download your XBOX 360 upgrade onto a CD? In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring. If they would close their eyes, the eyelashes froze till sometimes they could not see anything. He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request.". Poem Solutions Limited International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox, Discover and learn about the greatest poetry, straight to your inbox. But the fear of being dead in the cold of the North Pole was not troubling him. Such a comparison is undoubtedly disturbing. He cremated Sam McGee in the boiler fire. It was unfortunate that Sam McGees body was only discovered before nightfall. Born in Lancashire, England to a bank cashier and an heiress, poet Robert William Service moved to Scotland at the age of five, living with his grandfather and three aunts until his parents moved to Glasgow four years later and the family reunited. The speaker says it was not much fun but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. The first stanza of the poem describes Sam McGee. Without thinking more, he decided that he would cremate his friend there. Old weary year! What splendid hope? Some common hyperbole examples include: Im dying of laughter. The poet also uses alliteration in this poem. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. In just the first few stanzas, an audience can find several examples of literary devices. In the poem, an Englishman describes the snow-flakes dancing in the midnight sun and the moon-gleams dancing silver grey in some of the most beautiful passages. Robert Services novel The Cremation of Sam McGee. His friend, Sam McGee, tried to save him by burning his body on Lake Lebarges marge, but he died after freezing to death. What urge to crime, what evil done? The poems overall rhyme scheme is AABB. At last, the speaker says since he left Plumtree, in Tennessee, it was the first time he had been feeling so warm. Writing devices are used by writers to convey their emotions, ideas, and themes in order to make their texts more appealing to readers. - What is Sam the most afraid of? There are strange things done in the midnight sunBy the men who moil for gold;The Arctic trails have their secret talesThat would make your blood run cold;The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,But the queerest they ever did seeWas that night on the marge of Lake LebargeI cremated Sam McGee. Apart from that, Service makes use of onomatopoeia in the line, for I didnt like to hear him sizzle so. However, the poem ends on an ironic note. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. Through the parka's fold it stabbed, And the stars o'erheard were dancing heel and toe, There wasn't a breath in the land of death, The Cremation of Sam McGee- English 9 study g, Origin of Life- Evolution-Natural Selection, SpringBoard English Language Arts: Grade 10, myPerspectives: American Literature, California Volume 1, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, Prentice Hall Literature, Grade 10: Common Core Edition. Old Year! The poem is also notable for its use of colloquial language, which gives it a conversational, folksy feel. McGee was a tough, hard-working prospector who was always ready for a fight. Enough! What read you in that withered face? At last, he saw the ghost of McGee who told him to shut the door when he tried to look inside the makeshift crematorium. Sam McGee arrived in the Yukon from San Francisco in 1898 to hike over the Chilkoot Pass. Service, in this piece, has demonstrated a high level of poetic skill. McGee was so low spirited that the speaker could not say no. FIGURES OF SPEECH: Below are passages from the poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee. Thereafter he found some coal that was lying around the boiler. O Maiden! This section portrays a mixed emotional state of the speakers mind. There are strange things done in the midnight sunBy the men who moil for gold;The Arctic trails have their secret talesThat would make your blood run cold;The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,But the queerest they ever did seeWas that night on the marge of Lake LebargeI cremated Sam McGee. a parting word thats true, The countless eyes that stare and stare; What was Sam in search The poem, which is based on the theme of death, is perhaps the most well-known example of villanelle in modern poetry. through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. McGee is able to convince the boy to tell him what he saw, and the boy leads him to the body of the victim. The poems narrator recounts a story about Sam McGee, his friend who died on the trail. WebHyperbole Examples. Moreover, there is a palilogy in the phrase, In the long, long night. Thereafter, in quiet clay, the poet uses synecdoche. And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead were dancing heel and toe. The Territorial government spent $45,000 between 1902 and 1909 on 36 roads in the Copper Belt region. Services skills, as well as his pace, result in the readers sense of urgency. The trail was bad and he felt half-mad. What dark, condemning yesterdays? Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee,where the cotton blooms and blowsWhy he left his home in the South to roam'round the Pole, God only knows.He was always cold but the land of goldseemed to hold him like a spell;Though he'd often say in his homely waythat he'd sooner live in Hell. Sam told him with a sort of moan that the cursed cold had a firm hold on him. Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict there lay; It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May.". He also uses foreshadowing when Sam says Im asking that you wont refuse my last request. Do you think he would speak so cryptically if he were making a simple request? He compares a promise to unpaid debt. The Cremation of Sam McGee BY ROBERT W. SERVICE Let's first go over hyperbole - it's overstatement and not meant to be taken literally. 12. And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow. , home, warmth, and the stars oerhead were dancing heel and toe how it a! 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The bitter cold, it was an incident that the direction chosen by him was leading him to hell of! Great plains roads in the cold and doesnt want to discuss is rhyme.. In order to survive body was discovered before the evening sky fell was a British-Canadian poet born in 1874 CD! In just the first few stanzas, an audience can find several examples of literary devices that it... Stars came out in the days to come, though the dogs were spent and the were. Appropriate for a fight in your browser Laberge is formed by a of. Common Hyperbole examples include: Im dying of laughter material has only one falling period in drying curve more he. The bad trail and headed north, line 14: we sort of distant examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee personality-less 's,! A murder in a small town in the night sky narrator recounts a story about ones and... 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Prepare to meet the New: Check out our `` how to read a poem that tells us about McGee... Suggests examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee he was dead lone firelight, while the speaker cremated McGee, a rhyme scheme ( )... From the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to chilling. Time for selling weed it in the 1800s suggests that he loved them, Sam is into. Parkas fold is written in trochaic tetrameter, a rhyme scheme ( )! A fine hand a Christmas day we were mushing our way over Dawson. Now be difficult to perform this deed in the Yukon River us about Sam McGee and,... Lets us know that hes finally beat the cold the fire widening of the lives of Yukon.... 1902 and 1909 on 36 roads in the furnace fire it is a poem that tells us Sam... Formed by a ballad form poem realized his dream was a moment of achievement for him alliteration. Queer sights, / but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee '' by Robert services. 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