I write these lines with a sense of احترام and inner gratitude, as a translator who had the privilege to bring his poetic voice closer to Albanian readers.
On March 12, 2026, the world of poetry lost a noble and gentle soul—Rohini Kumar Behera, a poet from Odisha, whose verses carry a rare purity of thought and a quiet spiritual depth. His poetry became part of my literary journey during the preparation and translation of the anthology White Fog, where, among many distinguished Indian poets, his voice revealed a sincerity that is both disarming and enduring.
I also recall with deep respect his life companion, the poet Swapna Behera, whom I had the pleasure to meet twice in India, during poetic festivals. Those encounters remain for me not only memories, but moments where poetry stepped out of the page and became human presence.
This homage is written in my name—as a reader, as a translator, and as someone who believes that poetry builds invisible bridges between cultures.
Peace For Mankind
Peace is sweet and adoring
A world of peace is endearing
A daring venture in present commotion
I dream of a World of Peace
Happiness is more a choice
Peace is kindliness of divine care
A heart comprehending each other
A soul reaching out to one another
Peace is where everything is silent
Peace is a petite gift from God
To nurture for the entire Mankind .
This poem unfolds as a lyrical meditation on peace—not merely as an abstract ideal, but as a lived, spiritual condition. The repetition of the word peace functions as an anaphora, reinforcing its centrality and transforming the poem into a quiet incantation.
Through metaphors of tenderness and divinity, peace becomes “a petite gift from God” and “kindliness of divine care,” elevating it from a human desire to a sacred value. The imagery of “a heart comprehending each other” expresses empathy as the foundation of harmony.
Message:
Peace is both divine and human—something to be nurtured within and shared universally.
My Gratitude
Happiness is my gratitude of veiled wish
Is the key to a life of hallowed bliss
Each moment with love , grace and generosity
A tender feeling of cordiality and positivity
Blessed are those who give without remembering .
Gratitude is riches , complaint a poverty
It can turn a negative into positivity
Is a secret door to ultimate happiness
Is a magnet to all life’s loveliness .
Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast
A house into a home , a stranger into a friend
Has a mission for tomorrow’s Vision .
Grace heals the heart that aches
Mends the wounds and patches the scrapes .
Let us embrace gratitude as our maxim
To express splendour of divinity in true axiom .
In this poem, gratitude is elevated into a life philosophy. Through extended metaphors—gratitude as “riches,” “a magnet,” “a secret door”—the poet reveals its transformative power.
The antithesis “Gratitude is riches, complaint a poverty” captures a profound ethical stance. Everyday realities are reshaped: a meal becomes a feast, a house becomes a home—clear metaphorical transformations that show how inner perception creates outer meaning.
Message:
Gratitude is the essence of happiness and spiritual richness, capable of healing and transforming life.
Nature Is Often Queer Magical
Nature is often queer magical
Present to us transcendental
A miraculous scene of allure
Seldom found in blue yonder
At horizon Sun takes farewell
The Moon bids being celestial
A rare view of holy Communion .
This brief yet evocative poem reflects Behera’s contemplative vision of nature. The phrase “queer magical” suggests mystery beyond logic, while the horizon becomes a stage for a cosmic ritual.
The meeting of sun and moon is rendered as a “holy Communion”—a powerful metaphor of unity, blending the physical and the spiritual. The imagery is minimal, yet deeply symbolic.
Message:
Nature reveals the sacred through its silent, eternal rhythms, inviting the human soul toward reflection and transcendence.
Rohini Kumar Behera’s poetry is marked by simplicity, sincerity, and spiritual depth. His themes—peace, gratitude, and nature—form a universal triad that speaks to all humanity.
This homage, bearing your voice as translator and witness, is not only a tribute to his passing but a celebration of a poetic spirit that continues to live through his words.
