The points of issue
First edition, first printing with a full number line ending in 1; 77 pp; ISBN 0880014687; clothbound in dust jacket with the original price. A paper-over-board variant with a woodcut design also exists alongside the cloth issue.
Is this the true first?
The US Ecco 1996 edition is the true first. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. Signed copies exist.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line not reaching 1 indicates a later printing; no notable book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sun Under Wood: New Poems a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing with a full number line ending in 1; 77 pp; ISBN 0880014687; clothbound in dust jacket with the original price. A paper-over-board variant with a woodcut design also exists alongside the cloth issue.
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. The US Ecco 1996 edition is the true first. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. Signed copies exist.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A number line not reaching 1 indicates a later printing; no notable book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Sun Under Wood: New 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.