Mirella Di Benedetto writing as Anna Verduci What happens to a child whose history is taken from them. What does it mean to rebuild a life from fragments. Born into secrecy in 1970s Australia, Mirella Di Benedetto grows up under a false name, carrying questions no one will answer. As an adult she begins the long and painful work of uncovering the truth through DNA tests, state records, memories and the voices of people who tried to forget her. Across decades and continents she traces a story shaped by forced adoption, cultural shame and the silent grief of families who never had the chance to become whole. What begins as a search for answers becomes a journey of identity, belonging and emotional survival. Told in lyrical, intimate fragments, The Kintsugi Poet reflects the raw work of reclaiming a self after a lifetime of erasure. The author draws on her background as a psychologist and brings rare insight into the emotional logic of trauma, attachment and healing. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, this memoir honours what was shattered. It is a story of vulnerability, truth and the slow courage it takes to gather the pieces of a life and make them shine. This book will speak to adoptees, survivors and anyone who has ever searched for the missing parts of their own story.