a poem about the NEP currency reform

This poem was written by the famous revolutionary poet Vladimir Maiakovskii as advertising for the introduction of the stable
chervonets currency (see a picture).Although the chervonets had been issued since 1922, the hyperinflationary
“Soviet tokens” were only taken out of circulation in 1924
 

Burzhui, say goodbye to your pleasant money--

we'll do you in once and for all with hard money

by Vladimir Maiakovskii, 1924

 
 

We know well the Soviet tokens with all of their millions and billions You know how things were-- The horse croaked The wife's clothes no good anymore Went to the horse market For a deal ready plenty-- But for horse they want billions -- twenty! What to do? The peasant went off  to collect those tokens The amount to collect was indescribable Enough to sit on -- quite a lump! He put his tokens in his biggest sack, And off he went, lump on his hump. He came to the trader --Gimme a horse And the trader says-- You wanna a horse? Things are worse. While you were saving your twenty, The price went up to forty! No way to buy a horse, No way to buy some cloth, Stand and look, it's all been for naught Saved up forty-- but the horse is a hundred

Came back with a hundred, but the horse now costs two "Pay me the money, and I'll give it to you." Off went the peasant, feeling his lack Lugging those tokens in a sack on his back. Not much to explain-- The token was falling, the problem is plain! But now put the word out in the villages-- We're gonna have hard money now For this new money an explanation most snappy-- everything that's needed to make a man happy A fiver that's a fiver, Silver that's real silver You can clink 'em or stand 'em on end. It's all the same thing--silver, a treasury bill Backing's the same, no difference at all. On the way to the market, it won't fall a bit, and won't be no trouble to fit in your mitt So fix the price, no hurry anymore-- take it home, the horse is yours With the rest of the money,  Some cloth for the wife Whatever you want, make the plans You can count your money now in advance