When words fail

words fail
standing on the sidelines
hearing a friend
tell of a friend
whose mom died
and two weeks later
her daughter
killed herself at home
violently
turtleneck up to her chin
in the casket
prayers?
yes, I will write the words
but what comfort
can they give?
she, her husband
and their younger daughter,
the one we knew,
have survived and must go on
in such pain and grief
I cannot imagine
they say bad things
do happen
to good people,
but this should not be
not to them
not Mary Frances, especially,
whose warmth and smiles
have always cheered me so
when I was tired or distant.
I know - children are dying
mothers are mourning
everywhere,
but these I knew
words
fail