The book includes essays and studies on various aspects of the work of V. Mayakovsky, D. Bedny and S. Yesenin. The author examines in detail the literary environment of prominent Soviet poets, their participation in the ideological and aesthetic struggle of the 20s. The book is full of great factual material, it also contains the author's personal memories of poets. Particular attention is drawn to the section on S. Yesenin. It contains significant biographical details, little covered in scientific literature, and gives an interpretation of important motives of the poet's work.