[CentOS] Using environment variables in mariadb

I want to script a rather simple create database operation.  Thing is, I 
have to provide the password for that database.  I would like to do this 
with an environment variable, but the simple approach dose not work:

mailpswd=charlie

mysql -u root -p

CREATE DATABASE mailfix;
CREATE USER 'mailfix'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY $mailpswd;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON `mailfix` . * TO 'mailfix'@'localhost';

Of course the mysql command needs the mysql root password, but that is 
as expected.  But mysql will not process $mailpswd, not surprisingly.

I know I could create a file with these commands, sed the password into 
the file, then pipe thr file into mysql.  I would rather do this 
directly without a temp file.

thanks