REPORT: Veteran Lebanese poet Said Akl passes away at 102

Veteran Lebanese poet Said Akl passed away at the age of 102 on Friday, the state-run National News Agency confirmed.

Details on the funeral ceremony will be announced by 2pm from Notre Dame University, Zouk Mousbeh.

Said Akl, a Lebanese poet, writer, playwright and language reformer from the Bekaa town of Zahle, is considered one of the most important modern Lebanese poets.

He is also an advocate of nationalism, the Lebanese identity, and language, leading him to design a Latin-based "Lebanese alphabet" comprised of 37 letters.

During his early years, Akl was an adherent of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party led by Antun Saadeh, and then he was expelled by Saadeh due to conflicting ideological disputes.

Akl adopted a powerful doctrine of the authentic millennial character of Lebanon resonating with a high sense of Lebanese dignity.

His esteem to Lebanon's history and culture was marked by strong hostility towards the Arab language and culture. He once stated “I would cut off my right hand just not to be an Arab”.

From his point of view, Akl considers Lebanon as the cradle of culture and the inheritor of the Oriental civilization well before the arrival of the Arabs.

His radical Lebanese nationalistic sentiment led him in 1972 to help found the Lebanese Renewal Party. This party was a non-sectarian party that adhered to Lebanese Nationalism.

During the Lebanese Civil War, Akl served as the spiritual leader of the radical Lebanese Nationalist movement Guardians of the Cedars.

His writings include poetry and prose both in Lebanese dialect and in classical Arabic language. He has also written many theatrical pieces, popular songs and pan-Arab anthems.

Starting in the 1970s, Akl offered a prize to whoever writes the best essay in Lebanese Arabic. Since then the Said Akl awards have been granted to many Lebanese intellectuals and artists.

Akl has numerous writings ranging from theatrical plays, epics, poetry and song lyrics. His first published work was released in 1935.

His works are written in Lebanese Arabic, literary Arabic, or French.
• 1935: Bint Yifta' (theater)
• 1937: Al Majdaliyyah (Epic)
• 1944: Qadmos (theater)
• 1950: Rindalah
• 1954: Mushkilat al Nukhba
• 1960: Ajmal minki...? La!
• 1960: Lubnaan in haka
• 1961: Ka's el Khamr
• 1961: Yara (using his designed Lebanese alphabet)
• 1961: Ajraas al Yasmeen
• 1972: Kitab al Ward
• 1979: Qasaed min Daftari
• 1974: Kama al A'mida 
• 1978: Khumasiyyat

In 1981 he also published poems in French.

During the 1990s, Akl wrote a front-page personal column in the Lebanese As-Safir newspaper.