The poems are based on lists of names in the Aramaic writings of the Jews of Elephantine, Egypt. There is also an essay about the Elephantine Jews, an island in the Nile river at Egypt's southern border who lived in that place in the fifth century B.C. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

In his essay, Karl Young describes d.a. levy in his any facets e.g. spiritual poet, warrior against repression and conformity, quiet scribe and nihilist non-conformer. This web site for levy notes that the only existing critical text published about his life and works is Ingrid Swanberg's "Zen Concrete and etc." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The cover design is based upon Mayan figures. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The five poems that make up the text are based upon Japanese ghost stories told by Lafcadio Hearn in his book, "Kwaiden." The book has an unusual construction in that the sleeve pages are to be opened from their sides to reveal continuation of the poem printed on the recto sides of the pages. In the introduction, Young writes, "...I make use of the three-dimensional pages: pages with insides and outsides... I hope that each reader will bring his or her own senses of inside and outside to the reading of this book. I should, however, point out that the insides and outsides interact with each other in various ways, primarily by paralleling or working against each other. The inside-outside tension should not only create a dialectical progression, but constantly turn the book on on itself and out to the reader." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Denoted as #15 of 6th series of musical books. Consists of three blocks of hollowed painted wood that have moveable metal objects within them to give sounds when shakened. The blocks are joined together by cardboard onto which has been printed a listing of types of books, viz., A Book of Hours, A Log Book, A Workbook, A Psalter, A Hymnal, An Ablum, etc. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Kempton solicits contributions from Depew