Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, poetry by Madhavan Anbukumar

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot An Ekphrastic Poem

Madhavan Anbukumar

Swing low, sweet chariot, Bring home Grandmother Harriet, The dogs are barking, The donkeys braying, Swing low, sweet chariot.

Swing low, sweet chariot, An army of angels come to bring Grandmother home, The devil himself comes to take her for him alone, Swing low, sweet chariot.

Swing low, sweet chariot, Thank God almighty for Grandmother’s pure soul, Or else Satan would take her down to his dank hole. Swing low, sweet chariot.

Swing low, sweet chariot, The doctor is here, In a car he arrived

Grandmother is gone says he, May she watch over this family, Swing low, sweet chariot, May you bring her home

Link to John McCrady’s painting: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot