Ideas worth spreading

A child of the state

1,006,819 views | Lemn Sissay • TEDxHousesOfParliament

Literature has long been fascinated with fostered, adopted and orphaned children, from Moses to Cinderella to Oliver Twist to Harry Potter. So why do many parentless children feel compelled to hide their pasts? Poet and playwright Lemn Sissay tells his own moving story.

Literature has long been fascinated with fostered, adopted and orphaned children, from Moses to Cinderella to Oliver Twist to Harry Potter. So why do many parentless children feel compelled to hide their pasts? Poet and playwright Lemn Sissay tells his own moving story.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxHousesOfParliament, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Lemn Sissay

Poet and playwright

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An award-winning playwright and popular broadcaster in the UK, as well as the author of five poetry books, Lemn Sissay has a way with words.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxHousesOfParliament, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.