The Bard Of The Yukon

Robert William Service never won any major literary prize

And this does not come as any great surprise

Since the literary critics of the time did not see him as one of literary note

And would not bestow on him the title of poet

Service born in Preston in Lancashire in England in his younger years worked as a secretary for a bank

He was one who was not of high social rank

For many years he travelled in northern Canada sometimes in dire poverty

But fame and wealth came to him in his poems The Shooting  Of  Dan Mcgrew and The Cremation Of Sam Mcgee

From his poems of the Klondike gold rush he shot to poetic fame

And almost overnight his became a World known literary name

He and Jack London in their writing made the Klondike famous in the years long gone by

Literary greatness of Service nowadays none does deny

An original poet in a class of his own

As the Bard of the Yukon Robert William Service became widely known

In 1958 in Lancieux in France the renowned bard died

His poems loved and read by lovers of poetry Worldwide

It is true that all good things come to those who do wait

In his poorest days Robert Service in fame and wealth as a writer with hope did keep faith

A legend of poetry of him one can say

In all parts of the English speaking World his poems they are read and recited today.