SAY THIS CITY HAS TEN MILLION SOULS BY W.H. AUDEN

Walked through a wood ------- at their ease.

REFERENCE

(i) Poem: Say This City Has Ten Million Souls

(ii) Poet: Wyston Hughes Auden

CONTEXT

(i) Occurrence: Lines 37-38/48

(ii) Content: In this poem the poet describes the miserable condition of German Jews. To get rid of Hitler's cruelties in Germany, the Jews fled to America to take refuge. But the immigrants had to face estrangement, alienation and maltreatment in America.  

EXPLANATION

     In these lines the poet regrets that human life has fallen beneath the animal level and the major reason is the presence of politicians among humans. When the authorities of New York did not give any shelter to the immigrant Jews, they went to a small forest. There they happened to observe the birds in the trees. These birds were chirping and singing without any social taboos or troubles. In other words, they were enjoying the freedom and liberty in their lives. The immigrants perceived that the cause of their happiness and freedom was the absence of politicians among birds. Alas! politicians among humans have divided mankind into groups, races, nations and countries. 

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