The Thirteenth Circle: A Confessional

Book Synopsis: The Thirteenth Circle is an emotionally gripping biography filled with enticing, dark imagery and daring confessions. A must-read for fans of true-life memoirs and thought-provoking poetry. The Thirteenth Circle is a collection of 66 poems written by American Poet, Chaz Allen. Aiming to provoke thought about one's nature, and autobiographical in style, the author shares explicit details of his life and what inspired certain pieces. The poetry within will find a home in those young, old, women, and men. The poems often tied to metaphor, allegory, and abstraction, invite the reader to reach far past the surface. The themes explored include faith and spirituality, love, grief and loss, depression, and mental health, as well as human growth and evolution. Presented in a journalistic and confessional manner, the collection aims to walk readers through the written journey alongside the author. Its intent is to invoke deeper levels of thought and contemplation.

Editorial Reviews

“Allen’s The Thirteenth Circle is a debut which explores man’s relationship with faith, temptation and possessing a sense of self. Through a combination of poems, drawings, and autobiographical excerpts. Allen tells his story in the hope others can relate and find solace.”

The drawings are fascinating; each one a different style, only the characteristic colors of black, red, and white remain the same. The poems which followed these illustrations stand out as a result - they are often transcripts of the wordless images and this insight into a creative’s mind is incredibly refreshing.

“Allen’s frequent autobiographical ‘pitstops’ were too. Very few writers ever feel the need to explain their work, so at first, I looked on these snippets with concern. However, Allen only ever stops to build upon the poem, rather than dismantle it. One poem, about suicide ideation, led to Allen questioning the rise in mental illness in recent years and how culpable modern society is. Thus, Allen uses his work to open up a dialogue with his reader.”

“[…] Allen’s collection offers poetry readers something new and fresh. Many shall find solace and their own meanings in the more abstract pieces.”

-Kristina Reed

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