Eric Forbes

gripping fear
night after night
every night at nine

before you
I’d suffer through it
expecting it to come
forgetting to breathe

after you
sleepless nights faded
stress dissolved
and when it returned

you rubbed lavender
all over me

you rubbed lavender
into your hands and
over my chest

you made hot towels
covered my face
steamed the pain away

I bought some lavender oil
thinking of your warm hands
smelling like purple flowers