In ancient Rome, where empires rose and fell,
Debased coins tainted stories they would tell.
Byzantine Empire, too, faced the same plight,
Silver lost its shine, causing economic blight.
Henry VIII, the king with lavish taste,
Debased England's coins, his treasury embraced.
Portugal's Age of Discoveries, bold and grand,
Yet debased their currency to finance the land.
Revolutionary France, a tumultuous scene,
Debasement ran rampant, inflation obscene.
United States, during the Civil War strife,
Currency debasement added to the life.
Germany's Weimar Republic faced distress,
Hyperinflation caused widespread duress.
Russia, Austria, India, they all had their turn,
Currency debasement, a lesson we should learn.
These nations faced the perils of debasement's might,
A cautionary tale to keep currencies bright.