Charleston Church Massacre

In Charleston's sacred hall, a tale unfolds,
Where prayers and hymns in Emanuel were told.
A night in June, when shadows grew long,
A storm of hate, a tragic song.

Bible study's peace, shattered by a spree,
Dylann Roof, the harbinger of agony.
A white supremacist with venom in his veins,
In Emanuel's heart, he'd leave his stains.

He entered as a guest, embraced by grace,
Seated near Pinckney, the holy space.
A fateful hour, the clock ticking slow,
Innocence shattered, the evil would grow.

From a fanny pack, a pistol revealed,
A nightmare unleashed, the devil concealed.
Tywanza Sanders, first to fall,
A tale of horror, unfolding for all.

Susie Jackson, aged and wise,
Cynthia Hurd, with gentle eyes.
Ethel Lance, a pillar strong,
Victims of hatred, their lives gone wrong.

Depayne Doctor, Daniel Simmons, too,
Their souls ascending, as angels do.
Sharonda Singleton, Myra Thompson's grace,
A congregation lost in that sacred place.

Nine souls departed, a city in despair,
Roof fled, leaving behind a wretched lair.
A manhunt ensued, a nation's plea,
To bring to justice, the killer free.

In Shelby, North Carolina, justice did find,
Roof captured, his deeds maligned.
Confined in cells with a tale to tell,
Of hatred deep, where darkness dwells.

At the court, the truth unveiled,
Roof's confession, a story frail.
He sought a race war, a twisted desire,
Yet church members' kindness almost quelled the fire.

Charges mounted, a legal decree,
Nine murders, a nation to see.
Families forgave, in the face of grief,
A poignant gesture, granting relief.

Funerals held, a solemn procession,
For each victim, a heart's confession.
In Charleston's tears, the nation wept,
As unity against hatred crept.

Indicted on hate and civil rights,
Roof's trial unfolded in the city lights.
Guilty declared, the verdict read,
Thirty-three charges, a fate he'd dread.

Sentenced to death, a solemn decree,
Yet life in prison was his destiny.
A reminder to a nation's soul,
Of healing, forgiveness, making whole.