The points of issue
Won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Atheneum, New York, 1979, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, consistent with Atheneum's house practice of the period; issued in cloth with dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Atheneum (1979) is the true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. The 'First Edition' statement appears only on the first printing; later printings drop it and are noted as such.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Selected Poems a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Atheneum, New York, 1979, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, consistent with Atheneum's house practice of the period; issued in cloth with 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 Atheneum (1979) is the true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. The 'First Edition' statement appears only on the first printing; later printings drop it and are noted as such.
I have a first edition of Selected Poems — 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.