Subtly evocative, poignant, deep and infused with startling images that bring out the poet’s zest for live, positive outlook and irreplaceable love for poetry, Whispers of A Snowfall is a short and crisp collection of soul stirring poems by Rashika Ranjini. If simplicity is the ultimate sophistication then this book lives up to that adage. Be it in the book cover that has watermarked images of snowfall against a blue background with simple dotted flowers in the forefront or the soul searching that is filled in the themes of the individual poems, this collection may appear very short but it is profound and has a depth that is bound to linger in the mind of the reader for a long time after having read these poems. This definitely calls for some sense of active reading by the reader who enjoys poetry and nature poems. While the setting of the poems is winter season, it is no doubt that the themes of the poems are beyond winter season alone.
They are indicative of the cold and uninhabitable conditions that come with winter, the scarcity, the stagnant environment and the difficulties that are associated with the cold, the freezing temperatures, the shedding of leaves, the loss of flowers and so on. While winter may seem to be a time of unbearable conditions that make it difficult to survive, this collection of poems looks at the brighter side of winter, the silver lining in the harshness and it is this positivity that resonates with the soul searching quality of the poems that creates a soul stirring collection. This makes the book a search for understanding the season of winter and its attributes in all their full value and glory. Structurally, the book is of 22 pages in length and is a very thin, easy to carry book but it is the depth of thoughts that make it suitable for active and repetitive reading. The book has 19 poems with each poem of varied length though poems are about a page long on an average and has lengthier poems than single page long poems.
The book is well edited, does not have unnecessary banter, and goes by the formula of being sweet and simple. It is the tagline of the book or the subtitle that echoes the core thoughts and ideas of the book: “Celebrating the pensive beauty of winters.” This is reflective of the multiple aspects of the book that not only indicates the difficulties of winter but rather delves into the aspect of time that makes the attributes and overall beauty of this season accessible to readers. This drives away and whims or fears that people associate with the snow capped environment of winters and brings in the idea of introspection, solitude and solace that may not be often associated with winter but are an integral part of it. The poet showcases how winter is a great time to get away from the hustle bustle of the world outside and coil under a blanket with a cup of warm drink and enjoy the cosiness. This book then becomes a perfect winter companion for the reader.
The writing style is not flowery or exaggerated. The words are used with precision, vocabulary is apt and elusive of the thought as much as the descriptive aspect of the imagery. The collection offers a new and fresh perspective that gives a ray of hope and sheds light on the better side of winter that may not involve outdoor activities due to the harsh weather conditions outside but should also not be unfairly associated with inhospitality. Winter is then provided a new attire of being a time of rejuvenation through reading, introspecting and pondering in solitude. The poems in this collection also reflect this cycle of winter from its start, to its peak and then its final phase that show that even within winter there are highs and lows in terms of seasonal changes which echo the thought that all of winter cannot be painted with the same brush.
Its peak may be harsh but winter is as much needed as other seasons. This is clearly reflected in the most basic image of winter which is the icicle. A poem titled an Icicle Cycle which is the 6th poem in this collection is indicative of the life cycle of an icicle that is equated to the life cycle of a woman and ends on the note of the melting of the icicle to the slow fading away of the woman with the lines: “She melted, with the fire of her own smile to own.” Snow remains a recurrent image in this collection with poems like Snow-Crostic, The Formidable Snowstorm, Chants of Snowflakes, and The Strange Seller At Snowslope. The collection provides meaning and encouragement to readers to find fulfilment in the present because each season has its own value. No two seasons can be compared as each has its own beauty or purpose that needs to be celebrated.
