Lemn Sissay: What Happens When Home Rejects You?

Lemn Sissay: What Happens When Home Rejects You?

From Homing by Matt Gibberd

August 19, 2026 · 49 min · Season 3 · Episode 41

About this episode

Lemn Sissay discusses his experiences with home, family, and identity after being separated from his mother and growing up in foster care.

Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright and broadcaster. Few people have thought more deeply about the meaning of home than Lemn. As a baby, Lemn was separated from his Ethiopian mother and placed into foster care with a white family. He grew up believing he had been abandoned, not even knowing his real name. From the age of twelve, he was placed in a series of children's homes, where he remained until adulthood. In this conversation, we explore how those early experiences shaped Lemn’s understanding of family, belonging and identity. We talk about how poetry gave him a sense of place when nowhere else could, and what it means to build a sense of home inside yourself after losing it so young. These discussions are intended for general information and should not be considered medical, psychological or professional advice. If you have concerns about your health or wellbeing, please consult a qualified professional. Lemn Sissay: See Lemn on tour: https://www.fane.co.uk/lemn-sissay#event-listing Share your family story on Lemn's global storytelling website: https://tellmesomething.family/ To hear more from us: Patreon: Watch exclusive home tours, HomingWithMatt YouTube: Subscribe to our…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Gibberd

Guest: Lemn Sissay

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fane, Tell Me Something

Books & works: A Modern Way to Live

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