Published in March 1995, A Scattering of Salts was the last collection of poetry completed in James Merrill's lifetime. The book appeared one month after the poet's death on February 6, 1995 (see 1995 in poetry).
Among the books most celebrated poems are "Self-Portrait in TYVEK™ Windbreaker", "A Downward Look", "An Upward Look", "b o d y", and "The Ring Cycle". The book is dedicated to poet Stephen Yenser.