When a man lies he murders some part of the world

April 3, 2022 10:34 AM

Timothy Snyder posted a poem this morning about the horrors being revealed in Ukraine, in the wake of Russia's retreat from the outskirts of Kyiv. It recalls 'To Live is to Die's, spoken words, Metallica's tribute to Cliff Burton, their bassist who passed away September 27, 1986, in a bus crash in Sweden, touring to support 'Master Of Puppets'. Those words are mis-attributed to Burton, the first line most likely came from hymn writer and poet Paul Gerhardt (1703-1791), and was spoken by Merlin in the film Excalibur.
posted by kmartino (5 comments total)

This made me tear up. Thanks for sharing it.
posted by rpfields at 11:03 AM on April 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

I read that post title and immediately heard Nicol Williamson's voice inside my head.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 11:46 AM on April 3, 2022 [4 favorites]

I read the lyrics of To Live is to Die by Metallica out loud in my Theology class at my Catholic High school in 1988. The teacher liked it. I didn't tell her where I got it from of course. I thought it was originally from some Arthurian Legend text.

Also, the linked poem is powerful.
posted by Liquidwolf at 1:50 PM on April 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Thank you for giving us the source of the title quote so I don't attribute it to John Boorman any longer.
posted by bryon at 9:10 PM on April 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Wow.

Not something I usually say, but the use of line breaks (or lack thereof) was moving.
posted by Lexica at 3:03 PM on April 4, 2022 [1 favorite]