The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The bridges have burned, the fords have deepened..." (Mostyi sgoreli, uglubilis brodyi...) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

The bridges have burned down, the fords deepened,

And it's so crowded - we see only skulls,

The exits and the entrances are blocked,

And there's only one way - where the crowd goes.

And in pairs of horses, used to a procession,

Clearly showing how small the world is,

The crowd moves in a vicious circle -

And the circle is large, and the sense of direction is lost.

A palette caught in the rain is flowing,

Gallops burst into the polonaise,

There are no smells, no flowers, no tones, no rhythms,

And oxygen has vanished from the air.

No one's madness or inspiration

Will interrupt this circulation.

But is this it - perpetual motion,

That very infinite path forward?

Мосты сгорели, углубились броды,

И тесно - видим только черепа,

И перекрыты выходы и входы,

И путь один - туда, куда толпа.

И парами коней, привыкших к цугу,

Наглядно доказав, как тесен мир,

Толпа идет по замкнутому кругу -

И круг велик, и сбит ориентир.

Течет под дождь попавшая палитра,

Врываются галопы в полонез,

Нет запахов, цветов, тонов и ритмов,

И кислород из воздуха исчез.

Ничье безумье или вдохновенье

Круговращенье это не прервет.

Но есть ли это - вечное движенье,

Тот самый бесконечный путь вперед?

Vladimir Vysotsky's poem "The bridges are burnt, the fords are deep..." is a metaphorical reflection on the fate of an individual in a totalitarian society, on the loss of individuality and free will under conditions of total control.

Images of hopelessness and doom:

"The bridges are burnt, the fords are deep..." – these lines symbolize the lack of escape routes, the impossibility of returning to the old life.

"And cramped – we see only skulls" – the image of crampedness and a faceless mass, where individuality dissolves, and people are perceived as faceless "skulls."

"And exits and entrances are blocked" – reinforcing the motif of hopelessness, the lack of choice, the closed nature of the system.

"One way – where the crowd goes" – the motif of submission to the collective will, the loss of individual choice.

Images of confinement and meaninglessness:

"And in pairs of horses, used to the train, / Clearly proving how small the world is" – the image of the mechanical nature and predetermination of existence, where people are likened to horses in harness.

"The crowd walks in a vicious circle - / And the circle is large, and the landmark is lost" – the image of a meaningless cycle, the loss of purpose and direction.

Images of depersonalization and spiritual degradation:

"A drenched palette flows in the rain, / Galops burst into the polonaise" – a metaphor for the mixing and distortion of all values, chaos, and lack of culture.

"No smells, no flowers, no tones, no rhythms, / And the oxygen has disappeared from the air" – an image of spiritual suffocation, the loss of bright colors and emotions.

The unanswered question:

"No one's madness or inspiration / Will interrupt this rotation" – a statement of the inevitability of fate.

"But is it – perpetual motion, / That very endless path forward?" – a rhetorical question that leaves the reader alone with thoughts about the meaning of existence under totalitarianism.

Vysotsky's poem is not just a description of a totalitarian society, but a philosophical reflection on the nature of man, his ability to preserve his individuality under pressure and control.