Unclean Versus by John Baltisberger

A Study in Torture and Torment

Unclean Verses makes Dante’s “Inferno” look like a fairy tale. John Baltisberger’s extreme horror reimagining of Dante’s classic takes the concept two step further and into an account of one whose journey through the circles of Hell is that of the tormented punished rather than the horrified traveler. Structured much like “Inferno” and written in brilliant, poignant verse, Unclean Verses is nevertheless a visceral and gruesome story. It is graphic and violent, and it crosses every boundary, hits every horror taboo, but it does so within a solid, flowing, compelling storyline. And what storyline. Richard’s rampage and what precipitates it is a story in itself, a grisly and gut-wrenching story but also a gripping one (for extreme horror fans). And then there’s the trip to and through Hell. This is a study in torture and torment and impact as only Baltisberger can tell it, flowing and vivid and unnerving as hell itself. If you need a trigger warning list, this masterpiece is sadly not for you. If not, brace yourself and immerse yourself in John Baltisberger’s Unclean Verses.

Beautiful and disturbing in equal measure

This was the most disturbing book of poetry I have EVER read. I made the terrible mistake of reading most of this book during lunch breaks and I cannot say I recommend eating while reading it. It is so foul, and so disgusting, while simultaneously being beautiful and enchanting in meter and word choice. I was so drawn in by the rhythm of the poetry that I couldn't help but keep reading even as my mind recoiled from the content. My only small compliment would be that it lacked the dark humor I had expected. Dante's version was so grounded in humor that I'd expected a few more laughable moments. All in all though, this is a worthy successor, though I doubt we'll be seeing it taught in literature classes anytime soon.

Flowing and vivid and unnerving as hell itself

Unclean Verses makes Dante’s “Inferno” look like a fairy tale. John Baltisberger’s extreme horror reimagining of Dante’s classic takes the concept two step further and into an account of one whose journey through the circles of Hell is that of the tormented punished rather than the horrified traveler. Structured much like “Inferno” and written in brilliant, poignant verse, Unclean Verses is nevertheless a visceral and gruesome story. It is graphic and violent, and it crosses every boundary, hits every horror taboo, but it does so within a solid, flowing, compelling storyline. And what storyline. Richard’s rampage and what precipitates it is a story in itself, a grisly and gut-wrenching story but also a gripping one (for extreme horror fans). And then there’s the trip to and through Hell. This is a study in torture and torment and impact as only Baltisberger can tell it, flowing and vivid and unnerving as hell itself. If you need a trigger warning list, this masterpiece is sadly not for you. If not, brace yourself and immerse yourself in John Baltisberger’s Unclean Verses.

A fresh take and very inspiring. If you like darkness and demons you've got a great book right here from John Baltisberger �

A modern Dante

The Violent Versemaker of Texas delivers his most powerful work yet in The Unclean Verses. John's prose poem follows the journey of a hideous narrator into the depths of damnation. The circles visited accumulate suffering and humiliation in language by turns beautiful and horrific. The poetic structure is remarkable and shows that Mr. Baltisberger is operating at the top of the game in splattering extreme poetry. You will want (and maybe need) to look away at times, but this destined to be classic deserves space on your bookshelf alongside Dante's own masterpiece.