Tributes pour in for celebrated poet Mariyam Saeed

Maldivians have paid tribute to the national award-winning poet Mariyam Saeed, who died in Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Saeed, 85, is one of the most celebrated poets of her generation and came from a family of well-known poets including her father, Hussain Salahuddeen, who himself was a renowned linguist and writer.

President Abdulla Yameen conveyed his condolences to her family, while former president Mohamed Nasheed prayed for her in a tweet.

“The evening has been lost now,” Nasheed said, referring to one of her most acclaimed works.

Saeed, a former first lady of the Maldives, had been ill before her death and spent much of her recent days in Sri Lanka.

She was married to ex-president Ibrahim Nasir, with whom she had two children, and was buried on Friday.

MP Abdulla Shahid, former speaker of the parliament, tweeted about the funeral for his father’s cousin.

“[She was laid to rest] next to her illustrious father Sheikh Hussain Salahuddeen and brother Hon. Ibrahim Shihab,” Shahid said.

She received the National Award of Honour in Dhivehi poetry in 1983.

E kamanaage furaanafulhah suvarugeyge dhaaimy niumaiy levvun edhi dhu'aa kuran. https://t.co/4C3Gx2xTwz

— Yumna Maumoon (@yumna_maumoon) April 26, 2018

ދެމިހުރީ ކޮން އަސަރެއްތޯ ޝާނާޝަވްކަތުގާ
މެރިދެލޯ ދާހިނދު ދުނިޔޭން ވަކިވެވި އާޚިރުގާ
– Mariyam Saeed pic.twitter.com/d7M7TOiri3

— Dunya Maumoon (@dunyamaumoon) April 26, 2018

Just heard the sad news that my great aunt Mariyam Saeed has passed away. May Allah grant her the blessings of paradise. Aameen.

— Farah Didi 🎈 (@FarahDidi) April 26, 2018

Just heard the sad news that my great aunt Mariyam Saeed has passed away. May Allah grant her the blessings of paradise. Aameen.

— Farah Didi 🎈 (@FarahDidi) April 26, 2018

އޮހޮރެމުންދާ ލޯބީގެ ރަމްޒުން ނަންފަވާލި ޝަހީދަކީން
ފޮހެވުނަސް ލޯބީގެ ތާރީޚުން މި ނަން އަބަދުމެ ކިޔާ
Poet Mariyam Saeed laid to rest at Kuppiyawatta Muslim cemetery near burial of father Hussain Salaahuddin (Big tomb stone) and brother Ibrahim Shihab (star tomb right). God bless. pic.twitter.com/28dcjMNSBC

— Luke (@Lucasjalyl) April 27, 2018

“Muraalivaashey, furaana dheyshey..thuraathakun qawmu minjuveytho…”

Rest well Mariyam Saeed. pic.twitter.com/wpyKiXyYbl

— Shauna Aminath 🎈❓ (@anuahsa) April 26, 2018

Tributes to a distinguished #Maldivian lady Mariyam Saeed,a renowned #Maldives poet+also a former FirstLady.@abdulla_shahid. "She was a great person in her own right, a peerless poet among many other achievements,"@FarahDidi of her great-aunt. In memory of her+also her late sons. https://t.co/s9oFgkzVwo

— Elizabeth (Liz) Colton (@liz_colton) April 27, 2018

Disappointed by the inability of Maldivians to refer to the late Madam Mariyam Saeed except by reference to her former husband. She was a great person in her own right, a peerless poet among many other achievements.

— Ahmed Shaheed (@ahmedshaheed) April 27, 2018

Mariyam Saeed was not just the former wife of the Ex-president Ibrahim Nasir. She is one of the greatest poetess Maldives has ever seen. At the age of 14 she was a member of the distinguished & exclusive poetry club "Lhenveringe gulzaar".

My tribute: https://t.co/RCf38mpLwP

— Mohamed Hamdhoon (@MohamedHamdhoon) April 28, 2018

Photo: Twitter