Journalist and writer Jan Fran has released a new poem, 'Warm Enough,' which she describes as an attempt to capture the feeling of living in two parallel universes. The poem, part of Australian Poetry Month, delves into her experience as a mother raising a young son during what she calls 'a time of collapse.'
Poem Reflects Dual Realities of Parenthood
'Warm Enough is a poem that tries to capture the feeling of living in two parallel universes,' Fran said. 'It speaks to my experience as a mother raising a little boy in what feels like a time of collapse. It’s about holding the big and small at the same time, seeing pure innocence up close every day while in the same breath seeing it taken in the most unconscionable of ways.'
The poem repeatedly asks the question, 'What temperature is my son?' It weaves through scenes of coastal walks, rainy school runs, spring park visits, and moments of quiet reflection, contrasting the mundane details of childcare with the backdrop of a world in distress.
Personal Meditation on Helplessness
Fran's work is a response to watching Israel's genocide unfold in Gaza, which she says has caused 'tremendous helplessness, a loss of faith in humanity and a rising sense of dread.' She reflects on the difficulty of processing such events, noting that 'to watch the wholesale slaughter of human beings in real time for almost three years and then to see the obfuscation, the minimisation and the blind eyes turn is not something the nervous system can successfully ballast against.'
In her commentary, Fran also touches on the advice she has received from therapists: 'Every shrink I’ve ever visited tells me to get a journal. Write it down, write it all down, they say. You’ll feel better. Turns out words are an excellent evacuation tool. They are the mechanism by which distress leaves the body.'
Australian Poetry Month Showcase
'Warm Enough' is part of a series during Australian Poetry Month, which runs throughout August and includes festivals, events, workshops, and a commissioned poem of the day brought to you by Red Room Poetry. Each week, a poet walks readers through one of their works, offering insight into their creative process.
The poem concludes with a tender moment: 'I take his doughy hand in mine / A little boy with trees to climb / And I say son, are you warm enough?' This final image underscores the poem's central tension between personal care and global concern.
