# Is "Some Trees" by John Ashbery a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Some Trees by John Ashbery (Yale University Press, 1956) is identified by: Ashbery's first full-length book, chosen by W. US true first; the Yale Younger Poets / Auden selection.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Ashbery's first full-length book, chosen by W. H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets (volume 52, Auden foreword)
- Yale University Press first printing in black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, in the printed yellow dust jacket
- Scarce in fine condition with jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Yale University Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Ashbery |
| Publisher | Yale University Press |
| Year | 1956 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Poetry |
| Key point | Ashbery's first full-length book, chosen by W. H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets (volume 52, Auden foreword) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Ashbery's first full-length book, chosen by W. H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets (volume 52, Auden foreword). Yale University Press first printing in black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, in the printed yellow dust jacket. Scarce in fine condition with jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US true first; the Yale Younger Poets / Auden selection. One of the more sought-after modern poetry debuts.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Later Yale printings carry printing statements.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Some Trees* by John Ashbery a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/some-trees
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.