"This is the generation whose first cry of life was the Hungarian uprising"

In this quote, Joseph Brodsky is describing a particular generation of people whose very first experience in life was the Hungarian uprising. The Hungarian uprising was a significant occasion in history that happened in 1956, when the people of Hungary rose up versus their communist government. This event had a considerable effect on the lives of those who were born throughout that time, as it was their very first introduction to the world and the battles that exist within it. Brodsky is highlighting the reality that this generation was born into a world of turmoil and dispute, and their very first cry of life was a cry for flexibility and modification. This quote works as a suggestion of the long lasting effects that historical occasions can have on individuals and how they shape their point of views and experiences.