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# Keep It Cash—In 17 Syllables
- URL: https://www.tom-shaw.uk/keep-it-cashin-17-syllables/
- Published: 2026-10-06T15:02:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-06T15:02:39.000Z
- Description: Pushback Poetry #3 Is Now Live
- Author: Tom Shaw
- Tags: Reflections, #substack, #substack-type-newsletter, #substack-access-everyone, #Import 2026-10-24 12:50

The third installment of my monthly Pushback Poetry articles for [The Solari Report](https://open.substack.com/users/280946781) is now live—and it was a really fun one to write. Catherine Austin Fitts suggested the idea to me of “cash haikus”—short poems to promote the advantages of having physical cash—and I thought it was a great idea to run with.

Some of you may remember my poem from two years ago, [*Proof It Works*](https://www.tom-shaw.uk/proof-it-works/), exploring whether there is truly a viable purpose and way of using cryptocurrencies as a means of exchange. My conclusion still is: as long as there is a reason to communicate and exchange with people through the internet, there is a place for a well-designed, sovereignty-respecting cryptocurrency over using traditional banking infrastructure.

[Proof It WorksYour groceries did not go up in price; your corrupted fiat's value went down. The interest does not increase your savings when the notes they pri…![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/a14ac55a4f27472c5d894ec1c3c743d2/substack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com/public/images/068343a6-57a3-4030-bc68-967f8bf1705f_1280x1280.png)Tom ShawTom Shaw![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/a14ac55a4f27472c5d894ec1c3c743d2/substack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com/public/images/4bc5cd9f-69be-4a93-8e50-aba6d3a30175_1152x640.jpg)](https://www.tom-shaw.uk/proof-it-works/)

But I am not some maximalist. Different kinds of money are different types of tool, with some tools working better in some circumstances than others. Options like cash (especially local currencies or small denominations of precious metals) have a much stronger use case for exchanges of value within specific geographies than crypto does. It can technically be done with crypto, but it doesn’t mean its the ideal tool for that job.

So cash still has a place—and this write-up on the Solari Report celebrating its strengths is free for everyone to read. Here’s a little sneak-peak as to what you can expect:

I challenged the first cohort of Solari Builders to submit haikus on the theme of *Keep it Cash*. Here’s what they came up with:

*Cash is for us all* 
*As sovereign as it can be* 
*Cash for you and me*  
– Taylor

*Cashless world for me?* 
*Now, why would I have that dream?* 
*Privacy for me!*  
– Emma

*Cash makes paper kings.* 
*Monarch power bleeds the plebs* 
*Halt this haemorrhage!*  
– Gunner

*When I pay in cash* 
*The devil furrows his brow* 
*And that makes my day*  
– Loise

*A cash in the hand* 
*Is worth two in the ether* 
*Of the central banks*  
– Ian

*Centuries-old trust, coined* 
*By palm and paper turning* 
*To trade private hours.*  
– Anika

*Cash is king, signs say.* 
*Breaking chains of ones and noughts* 
*The free way to pay.*  
– Olav

*Tracking expenses:* 
*Easy with daily cash use.* 
*Privacy for all.*  
– Sophie

Read the full piece for free by clicking the button below:

[Keep It Cash - In 17 Syllables](https://solari.com/action-of-the-week-october-4-2026-keep-it-cash-in-17-syllables/?ref=tom-shaw.uk)

Reading other Pushback Poetry pieces are not a prerequisite for enjoying this piece—but they may well improve your appreciation:

[Pushback PoetryLast week, I penned a piece exclusively for the The Solari Report, exploring the value that poetry brings to society. Here’s a small snippet:![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/a14ac55a4f27472c5d894ec1c3c743d2/substack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com/public/images/068343a6-57a3-4030-bc68-967f8bf1705f_1280x1280.png)Tom ShawTom Shaw![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1457369804613-52c61a468e7d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHxwb2V0cnl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzg2MTMzMTczfDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=1080)](https://www.tom-shaw.uk/pushback-poetry/)

[The Power To Say NoThe second instalment of my Pushback Poetry series, The Power To Say No, is now available on The Solari Report. In this piece, I examine two of my favourite poems which each say “no” …![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/a14ac55a4f27472c5d894ec1c3c743d2/substack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com/public/images/068343a6-57a3-4030-bc68-967f8bf1705f_1280x1280.png)Tom ShawTom Shaw![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1691498119578-3a10ac81d44c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxNnx8bm98ZW58MHx8fHwxNzg4MTExNzYxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=1080)](https://www.tom-shaw.uk/the-power-to-say-no/)

Writing for the Solari Report is proving to be a blast, and I’ll be contributing more and more pieces over there as time goes on—not all of which will be about poetry, so you won’t hear about all of them here. They’re well worth a paid subscription—not just for my pieces, but for a wealth of ever-growing resources and guides about how to stop funding the erosion of our sovereignty:

[Solari Subscription](https://solari.com/solari-shop/?ref=tom-shaw.uk)

And of course, this page will still remain the home of my poetic insights and personal musings.

Thank you for making the time to read this piece. I look forward to bringing you more soon.

With gratitude,

Tom

[Subscribe now](#/portal/signup)