WH Auden - Le citoyen inconnu

Le citoyen inconnu

(A JS.07 M 378
Ce monument de marbre
Elevé par l’Etat)

Les fonctionnaires des statistiques nous apprennent
Que de lui, personne ne s’est jamais plaint
Et tous les rapports sur sa conduite conviennent
Qu’il fut, pour donner à un vieux mot un sens moderne, un saint,
Car, en toutes choses, il servit l’Intérêt Général.
En dehors de la guerre, et jusqu’à sa retraite
Il travailla dans une usine, sans tambours ni trompettes
Et satisfit son employeur, les Moteurs Bricolo
Il ne fut, ni un jaune, ni même un trublion
Son syndicat nous dit qu’il payait ses cotisations
(Notre rapport sur son syndicat le confirme)
Et nos spécialistes en Psychologie Ouvrière affirment
Qu’il était apprécié de ses collègues, et aimait boire un pot.
La Presse est convaincue qu’il achetait son quotidien
Qu’il réagissait à la publicité comme l’individu moyen
Des polices, prises sur son nom, indiquent qu’il fut assuré
Son dossier maladie nous apprend qu’il entra à l’hopital et en sortit soigné
Nos chercheurs en production et en niveau de vie nous assurent
Qu’il comprenait tout l’avantage des cartes de crédit
Et possédait tout ce que doit avoir l’homme d’aujourd’hui
Un phonographe, une radio, un frigidaire, une voiture
Nos spécialistes de l’Opinion se satisfont
Qu’il partageât les bonnes idées en toute saison
En temps de paix, il aimait la paix, et quand vint la guerre il partit
Il fut marié, et augmenta de cinq enfants notre population
Ce qui, selon les Démographes, est le bon nombre, pour sa génération
Et les Enseignants nous disent qu’il ne contraria jamais leur éducation.
Fut il libre ? Fut il heureux ? Quelle étrange question
S’il y avait eu quoi que ce soit, nous le saurions.


The Unknown Citizen

(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 on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an 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 on 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 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 Instalment 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 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 that 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.