Snowflakes of Time review: Kanwal Sibal tries his hand at poetry and succeeds

While in one section he waxes eloquent about nature, in another he takes potshots at Indian mannerisms, gives glimpses into negotiating the world of diplomats and also indulges in some political ribbing at the expense of his erstwhile political masters, the Gandhis. This last theme is categorised under the 'Humour' section, but Sibal would be forgiven had he placed them under the 'Catharsis' section.

As Sibal makes clear in his preface, he is a big fan of rhyme in poetry. To Sibal, rhyme imposes a discipline on the writer, curbing self-indulgence. That he would gravitate towards a medium of discipline is hardly surprising, considering his long and illustrious career in the foreign service. While affinities and aptitude aren't necessarily one and the same, in Sibal's case, it is. He is certainly at his best when he uses rhymes.

A sizable chunk of the poetry in Snowflakes is rhyme and while an emphasis on the form usually leads to repetitiveness, Sibal slips out of it and into free verse constantly to keep the book from being monotonous. The spectrum of themes and topics also helps this.

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Another aspect of the book that greatly enhances its readability is that Sibal hasn't fallen into the trap that most people who occupy or occupied high positions fall into - using heavy language to prove intellect. Sibal steers well clear of this for the most part, instead relying often on imagery to create moods and communicate thoughts.

For a hobby cultivated in the midst of a demanding career, Snowflakes of Time is a solid collection of poems that could stand on its own even without the notable name on the book's spine.