Futurist, hooligan, revolutionary, propagandist, lover, clown, martyr, hero--the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky was the powerhouse and rock star of Russia's Silver Age. This bilingual edition provides "maximum access" to his best known poems, and features: Precise English translations. Stress marks in the Russian text. Commentary on syntax, wordplay and neologisms. Clarification of cultural, historical and literary references. Essays on theme, persona and poetic technique. This is undiluted Mayakovsky, in the highest obtainable proof for non-native speakers.