# Is "Poems Written Before Jumping Out of an 8 Story Window" by Charles Bukowski a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Poems Written Before Jumping Out of an 8 Story Window by Charles Bukowski (Litmus / Poetry X/Change, 1968) is identified by: Wrappered chapbook of about 400 copies, printed in the summer of 1968 by Poetry X/Change in Glendale, California. True first is the 1968 Litmus / Poetry X/Change wrappered chapbook, limited to roughly 400 copies.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Wrappered chapbook of about 400 copies, printed in the summer of 1968 by Poetry X/Change in Glendale, California
- The verso of the title page carries the statement 'a LITMUS first edition.' Cover reproduces P. David Horton's 'Self-Portrait'; contains 18 poems, with 'Cows in Art Class' printed lengthwise at the centerfold beside a Bukowski drawing reproduced in orange
- Publisher imprint reads Litmus / Poetry X/Change
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Bukowski |
| Publisher | Litmus / Poetry X/Change |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Wrappered chapbook of about 400 copies, printed in the summer of 1968 by Poetry X/Change… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Wrappered chapbook of about 400 copies, printed in the summer of 1968 by Poetry X/Change in Glendale, California. The verso of the title page carries the statement 'a LITMUS first edition.' Cover reproduces P. David Horton's 'Self-Portrait'; contains 18 poems, with 'Cows in Art Class' printed lengthwise at the centerfold beside a Bukowski drawing reproduced in orange.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1968 Litmus / Poetry X/Change wrappered chapbook, limited to roughly 400 copies.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Poems Written Before Jumping Out of an 8 Story Window* by Charles Bukowski a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/poems-written-before-jumping-out-of-an-8-story-window
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.