Danielle Benvenuto is a published writer and visual artist from the USA living in Berlin. Her work explores freedom and moving deeper into the sensory world. She’s represented by Galerie Z22 in Berlin. Find her art and publications at daniellebenvenuto.com or daniellebenvenuto@substack.com
The Needles in the Haystack
This morning in my room I saw a haystack
its scattered string hairs piled in a sloppy hill
resting so lazily and soft
and with its needles
ten of them at least
wedged inside a dream
it carried on its slumber.
I was counting like I do
with my microscope
in my head hand
all my broken needles.
You were lying next to me in your sleep coma
and I, shivering like a small child
was being ravaged by a tsunami
I couldn’t hold alone.
I kept wondering if she was a better lover than me.
I want to know if my ocean is worthy.
But what I really want-
is to plant the garden and
wait in wonder
while I discover the rose.
I want to remember my fetus-
how she gave herself those nine months and
I want to stop it-
this terrible beating
I want to be the slumbering haystack and
I would like to be you, my love
nesting in my hair
not finding my needles.