Lemn Sissay’s poem “Some Things I Like” celebrates what we might consider discardable — like cold tea, ash trays, and even people. Raising a joyous toast to the forgotten and the forgettable, Sissay recognizes the power we give to what we pay attention to and invites us to look anew at all that has been undervalued. A question to reflect on after you listen: What is something you like that others may not value in the same way?About the Poet:Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright, and broadcaster. He contributes regularly to BBC radio and is a BAFTA-nominated, international prize-winning writer. His awards include a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to literature by the Queen of England, the PEN Pinter Prize, and a Points of Light Award from the prime minister of England. His books of poetry include Listener, Tender Fingers in a Clenched Fist, and Rebel without Applause. His memoir is My Name is Why.“Some Things I Like” comes from Lemn Sissay’s book Listener. Thank you to Canongate, who published the book and gave us permission to use Lemn’s poem. Read it on our website at onbeing.org.Find the transcript for this episode at onbeing.org.The original music in this episode was composed by Gautam Srikishan.

Lemn Sissay, poet and advocate for redefining identities, discusses the importance of not comparing trauma, the reality of the care system in the UK, and practical ways to help care leavers integrate into society. He explores the true feeling of belonging and how to combat negative voices. Host Fearne and Lemn share a heartfelt exchange on writing and poetry, promoting empathy and self-awareness.

In this hour, we lean into the moments of rejection, failure, embarrassment, and other stories of the human soul. Hosted by The Moth’s Senior Director, Meg Bowles. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media. Hosted by: Meg Bowles Storytellers: Cynthia Shelby Lane sets her sights on a job that’s out of this world. Lemn Sissay attempts to uncover a hidden past. Natasha Guynes desperately tries to hide her past from co-workers on The Hill. Matt Brown confronts his insecurities in an unconventional way Daniel Turpin deals with the aftermath of a split second decision. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices