Grigore Vieru wrote about life, love, people and nation. He was a resolute fighter for freedom and truth. He was the expression of everything that means Bessarabia: pain, struggle to achieve the ideals and dreams. He remained built inside the verses and words, in the sorrow of the Romanians from everywhere, which he bore on his feeble shoulders. This is how the bard was described at his funeral one year ago. Below we compiled parts of news items written by Info-Prim Neo's reporters between January 18 and 20, 2009. “It is great sadness in the country. Tears and sorrow in the hearts of all the Romanians. We, those that studied by Albinuta, will never forget the genius Grigore Vieru” “Grigore Vieru did not die, we died” - these are messages left in the [Memory Book placed in Saint Theodora of Sihla Church]. “A star has fallen/ We did not know it would be You/ And that the last road /Will be the one from Cahul,” [a family from Cahul] wrote in the same Book ...”He was a national teacher, because he educated many generations. It was our consciousness. Grigore Vieru preached respect for sacrosanct values: mother, motherland, word ”, said Mihai Cimpoi, the Writers' Union chairman. “Grigore Vieru was tackled very sensitive topics. His life was a never-ending battle”, he said. … Grigore Vieru's close friend [composer Eugen Doga] said his poems are not only words, but music too. “He was the artist who chanted poetry, but his 'golden mouth' will never speak again We thank you for everything! ” Doga said. ...“He was a luminary offered by God to our people. He loved the country, the people, the language and the truth. He burned like a candle for our future. He should remain in our hearts and we should fulfill his dream. God rest his soul!” said [Ana Balcu, an admirer of the poet]. “We lost a poet, but gained a great Emissary in heaven,” said writer Aurelian Silvestru. “The divinity is with us because the poet remained with us. He remained built inside the verses and words, in the sorrow of the Romanians from everywhere, which he bore on his feeble shoulders,” Aurelian Silvestru said. [Romanian singer Fuego] said Grigore Vieru was the greatest poet of the nation. “He loved his people and mother more than himself. He was like a spiritual parent to me. He was my adoptive father and I keep a live memory for his verses!” ...“Poet Grigore Vieru wrote for children, youth and grownups. He wrote about life, love, nation and country. Apart from his poetic work, he was a resolute fighter for freedom and truth. The things he wrote in his poems were designed to help the nation accomplish the nation's ideal of unity,” said [Dorin Chirtoaca, Mayor of Chisinau.] “He was the most renowned Romanian poet,” [writer Nicolae Dabija] said about Grigore Vieru. “Many generations studied by the textbooks written by Vieru and grew up by his poems and songs,” Dabija said. Ian Raiburg and Grigore Vieru had been friends for approximately 30 years. Most of Ian Raiburg’s songs are based on the verses of the poet: “Ce seara minunta” (“What a Wonderful Evening”), “Cumparati flori” (“Buy Flowers”), “Asta seara” (“This Night”), “Clar de luna” (“Clear Moonlight”) etc. “I’m very proud that I had been Grigore Vieru’s friend for a long period of time,” [Ian Raiburg] said. “Grigore Vieru was as a parent to me because he wrote the preface to my debut book, but also because we had always been together, especially the last years. It's a huge loss for the entire Romanian culture and literature, for all those who love the beautiful, the truth, the poetry, for all those for whom love moves planets and everything in this world. There is an empty space in our souls. Grigore Vieru will remain eternal in our national and the universal literature for his poems,” said [writer Valeriu Matei] [Theodor Paleologu, Romania's Culture Minister] said Grigore Vieru was a man who loved his language, dedicated himself to certain ideals and died symbolically as he was returning from a commemoration event to Mihai Eminescu. “He tragically bound his destiny to Eminescu's destiny,” he said. ...“We feel incommensurate pain and vacuum. It's too big a loss to render it in words. Grigore Vieru has been among us and will always be through what he did and was. He was the expression of everything that means Bessarabia: pain, struggle to achieve the ideals and dreams. And we're bound to fulfill them. God rest his soul!” said [Vlad Filat, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova.] [Romanian poet Adrian Paunescu] said: “Grigore Vieru's life was the work of his genius, and his death will be a stone at the future foundation of brotherhood. He was the best of us. Though so frail, he was mustering huge inner strengths to help us all. He departed absurdly, unfairly. Please forgive us, Grigore!”. [...Poet Iulian Filip] said that Grigore Vieru worked with practically all the children, in all the homes, and informed also the adults so that they discover the works that were of their age. “We did not have such a precedent of dedication and full involvement and I think that this is an irrecoverable loss,” the poet said ...“The entire Romanian nation is grieved. A month ago we discussed about the performances that we intended to give. A folk music concert. Now the thoughts remained in the past. I cannot believe that this man has departed this life. God rest him,” said [Nicolae Botgros, the conductor of “Lautarii” orchestra]. {Marian Lupu, then Head of Parliament: “Grigore Vieru managed to get us united around very important ideas, values of humanism, of conciliation. Grigore Vieru is everything what is called non-aggression, kindness, tolerance. May God rest him in peace, as we should honor him and preserve the memory of the one who was the synonym of love for the mother, the child, the people, the motherland,” he said. “Grigore Vieru's death is a huge tragedy for our people, a big loss for our literature, for the Moldovan culture,” said [Victor Stepaniuc, then Deputy Premier]. “ The poet wrote about motherland, childhood, sang the woman and our beloved country. His work remains everlasting not only for us, for the Moldovans, but for our neighbors and universal literature too. The Government has a duty to publish his entire work and I think this will be done. It's important to respect the writer's biggest wishes – to make the schools and libraries work so that the people read, know the works of the forefathers, of the classical writers, of Eminescu. He has had a special respect for our big classical writer Eminescu and it happened that he passed away not long before the anniversary of the birth of the Great Eminescu. May God rest him in peace!” …“Grigore Vieru was the apostle of work and the grave and the death cannot do what the book and the word can,” said [Aurelia Covalschi, a Chisinau teacher]. “I grew up with his poems and his simple but wise verses guided us our whole life. We are sad that he passed away so soon. He will yet remain alive through his works,” the teacher said. [Filio Teodorescu, Romanian Ambassador to Moldova]: “Grigore Vieru's death makes a fair amount of the Romanian literature perish, as well as of the love for the nation, for the people. He was a man who knew and spread out this love.” [Mircea Snegur, Moldova's first President]: “Grigore Vieru was a personality, a man of special kindness. He was a good father and husband. Through these traits, through the good deeds that he had done he will be always in our memory. May God forgive him and receive him in His kingdom!”