The Book of Ephraim, in taking the spiritual as its working landscape, took confessionalism to an entirely unexpected territory.

Merill believed that many historical poets of eras past, including W. H. Auden, speak through the Ouija board, as well as Merrill's old friend, the filmmaker Maya Deren.

The Ouija board, telegraphing its eerie messages in capital letters, conveys poetry through automatic writing.

Merrill's partner, David Jackson, shared the teacup and transcription duties which led to The Book of Ephraim.

The volume includes the 92-page-long The Book of Ephraim and the following shorter poems: The Kimono, Lost in Translation, McKane's Falls, Chimes for Yahya, Manos Karastefanis, Yannina, Verse for Urania, The Will, and Whitebeard on Videotape Divine Comedies was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1977.