The points of issue
Won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the 1958 National Book Award. First printing: Random House, New York, 1957, identified by 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page (Random House practice of the period), in dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (1957) is the true first; the UK Eyre & Spottiswoode edition is the first English printing and follows the American.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue. The first printing carries the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page; later printings drop or alter it.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Promises: Poems 1954-1956 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the 1958 National Book Award. First printing: Random House, New York, 1957, identified by 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page (Random House practice of the period), in dust jacket.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Random House (1957) is the true first; the UK Eyre & Spottiswoode edition is the first English printing and follows the American.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue. The first printing carries the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page; later printings drop or alter it.
I have a first edition of Promises: Poems 1954-1956 — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.