Revolutionary poet Abnudi dies at 76

AFP/CairoEgyptian poet Abdel Rahman al-Abnudi, widely known for his revolutionary verse and criticism of two toppled presidents, died yesterday at the age of 76, his wife said. Abnudi, who underwent brain surgery at a Cairo hospital just days ago, rose to prominence in the 1960s for his poems, some performed by legendary Arab singer Abdel Halim Hafez. In a career spanning four decades, Abnudi, known for his leftist views, published several volumes of mediaeval poems on Arab hero Abu Zeid al-Hilali and his tribe that travelled through the Middle East and North Africa. Born in 1939, Abdnudi’s fans affectionately called him “uncle”. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab offered their condolences to Abnudi’s family. “Egypt and the Arab world have lost a great poet... his contributions to poetry will remain a national and Arab symbol,” Sisi’s office said. In recent years, Abnudi openly criticised former presidents Hosni Mubarak and Mohamed Mursi, both toppled after mass uprisings, but has supported Sisi.