# Is "Revolutionary Letters" by Diane di Prima a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Revolutionary Letters by Diane di Prima (City Lights Books, 1971) is identified by: Wrappers, City Lights Pocket Poets Series No. True first as a formal book is the 1971 City Lights wrappered Pocket Poets No.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Wrappers, City Lights Pocket Poets Series No
- 27, published March 1971 with Ferlinghetti's calligraphic cover title
- First printing carries no statement of later printings
- The poem was an ongoing project (earlier pamphlet/mimeo appearances exist); the first formal book is the smallest, and later City Lights editions are expanded
- Publisher imprint reads City Lights Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Diane di Prima |
| Publisher | City Lights Books |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Wrappers, City Lights Pocket Poets Series No |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Wrappers, City Lights Pocket Poets Series No. 27, published March 1971 with Ferlinghetti's calligraphic cover title. First printing carries no statement of later printings. The poem was an ongoing project (earlier pamphlet/mimeo appearances exist); the first formal book is the smallest, and later City Lights editions are expanded.

## Is this the true first?
True first as a formal book is the 1971 City Lights wrappered Pocket Poets No. 27; later expanded editions are first-thus.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Revolutionary Letters* by Diane di Prima a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/revolutionary-letters
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.