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W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen” Lyrics by MrsDeWall

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(To JS/07 M 378
This Marble Monument
Is Erected by the State)

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports of his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of the old-fashioned word, he was a saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the war till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report of his union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day,
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows that he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High--Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of the year;
When there was peace he was for peace; when there was war he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation,
And our teachers report he never interfered with their education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
Credits
MrsDeWall

MrsDeWall

About “W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”” by MrsDeWall

Read the complete lyrics to "W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”" by MrsDeWall. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”" is performed by MrsDeWall. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”", explore more songs by MrsDeWall using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”" is credited to MrsDeWall. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the MrsDeWall artist page at /artist/mrsdewall for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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Education Genius’s “Guide to Educator Accounts”
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