The Fool and the Devil: Poetry by Brianna Janice

By Brianna Janice and Ifrah Fatima

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL AND SHE IS A MASTERPIECE...

In the fool and the devil's poetry collection, author Brianna Janice explores the pleasures and desires of being female, the pleasure of a lover's company and the desire to live peacefully within this universe.

But the pleasures and desires o

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shawline Publishing Group
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9781922850447

Brianna Janice

Brianna Janice is a young Australian Author based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. She has been writing poems, prose, songs and stories ever since she was seven years old. Through the twists and turns of Brianna Janice's life, writing was her therapy. When she was sixteen years old, she compiled all her poetry into one incredibly long book that became the first draft of her first book, the fool and the devil. Her writing is the act of her baring her soul onto a page and so forth, many books and ideas have been born of this.

Book preview

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the fool

and

the devil

The Fool and The Devil © 2024 Brianna Janice

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Printed in Australia

Cover and internal design by Shawline Publishing Group Pty Ltd

Illustrations within this book are copyright approved for Shawline Publishing Group Pty Ltd

First Printing: February 2024

Shawline Publishing Group Pty Ltd

www.shawlinepublishing.com.au

Paperback ISBN 978-1-9228-5043-0

eBook ISBN 978-1-9228-5044-7

Distributed by Shawline Distribution and Lightning Source Global

the fool

and

the devil

brianna janice

Dedications:

For Janice Parker. The most important woman in my life.

It is an honour to be your daughter,

it is an honour to share your name.

Acknowledgements:

A special thanks to the following people.

Janice & Lachlan Parker, Cathy Kinsella, Diane Hall,

Rose Kinsella, Sarah Bakker and everyone else in my family.

Bradley Shaw and Shawline Publishing.

I would also like to acknowledge all the people in my life

who have built me up and those who have broken me down.

Your efforts in making me stronger, have not been in vain.

Illustrations:

Illustrations by Ifrah Fatima.

My writings focus on femininity, sexuality, spirituality

and fantasy. Hurting, pain, fear and anxiety.

They are about self-destruction and self-loathing.

They are about self-rebuild, self-contentment

and self-commitment.

They are about fighting your inner demons and then

befriending them in order to understand them.

‘The fool and the devil’ is about a girl who transforms

out of a foolish, vulnerable and childlike persona,

into a young, dangerous and deadly one.

This book represents the two sides of the female

consciousness. The side of beauty and grace.

The side of ourselves that wants to be pretty,

feminine and lovely. And the other side that wants

to be powerful, strong and defiant.

It is simply about maturity.

Growing from one’s mistakes and flaws and a sense of

identity, into a force to be reckoned with.

Into someone who wouldn’t slow down or

let go, for anything.

From girl to woman and from fool to devil.

This book includes stories of

depression, anxiety, self-loathing,

self-harm, suicide, body dysmorphia,

body image, insomnia, panic attacks,

heartbreak, loss and trauma.

Foolish.

fools gold

Know your worth.

You are solid gold.

No fools have a claim on you.

caffeinated

She cried herself to sleep last night.

When she woke up, she went straight

to the coffee.

Funny how the thoughts of him

could be flooded out by strength.

night time came and took the children away

Foolish kids run around,

playing their foolish games.

They get hurt and they bleed

but those foolish souls never die,

as long as there is darkness

in every night.

flowers turn brown in the end

My love, my darling.

You make thorned roses bloom.

You make the sky shine,

shades of warm golden, moonsilver, star white.

You make soft music play.

You make lovers wish they stayed.

Why do you make me wither away?

you never fear that i’ll disappear

What would happen if I ran away today?

Would your lines be drawn?

Your words written?

Your photos taken?

Your thoughts spoken?

You will never know, still I am here.

patchwork

She was made of patchwork promises.

Fraying at the edges.

Tied together with lies.

Growing older and dustier by the day.

Ready to be blown away by the smallest breeze.

party goers

I will always remember hiding

with my best friend.

We didn't want to talk to the others.

I don’t think we understood the

meaning of the word ‘party’.

funeral in the bookstore

Some days,

I want to read myself to death.

your parents named you after a saint

You tore people down when you were

supposed to build them up.

You made me feel small when I was

supposed to feel strong.

Oh how you stunted my growth.

You made people believe you

hate everyone and everything.

For that,

I feel sorry for you.

gift from god

‘I’m always here for you.’

You are the only person I have

ever trusted to say these words.

Because after all this time,

you are still here.

don’t open pandora’s box

‘Hey, how are you?’

I’m breaking,

I’m fading,

I’m tired,

I don’t know,

I don’t want to be here,

I don’t know what to do anymore.

‘I’m fine thanks, how are you?’

i don’t hold on to anything anymore

It is truly painful

when you’re sitting in the

middle of the bathroom floor

crying because you are so unsure.

a little girl’s world

She walked down every street like she was the one

who paved the concrete,

who placed every stone,

who designed the earth beneath her feet.

Cracks in stone pathways,

were just webs that she weaved.

my memory of you frays at the edges

I wrote words about how you kindled my flames.

I wrote words about how you snuffed me out.

I wrote words about how my fire built again

and how I was strong enough to burn you down.

she, a little boy’s world

‘Create your own perfect world,’ the girl said.

The boy looked at her. ‘What kind of world?’

The girl shrugged. ‘I don’t care. As long as I’m there

sitting in the centre, on a throne of beautiful flowers.’

now i have stories with happy endings

To be foolish, to be in love,

oh, what beauty it is.

Foolish hearts call for promising starts.

i once wondered

I miss you.

But I will never tell you.

And I wonder,