About this project
Welcome to my heart.
Weeks before her nineteenth birthday, my sister Daria died in a car accident. These poems were written in the days, months, and years since. I am sharing them so that — even when everything is lost — love remains.
Author's note
Why this book? Why now?
This book was written the same way Sunday lunch is cooked at my grandmother's house. It's generous, tender, and comes from the heart.
So welcome to my heart; you can take off your shoes if you like.
The poems here were written in the days, months, and years since the passing of my baby sister, Daria. It's somehow this loss that has brought these words into being. I felt at times that I had little to do with the writing, other than the typing, some of the crying, some of the feeling and thinking.
Often, words or stanzas would just appear. I learned to listen to them. I write down a few words, and the rest follows. I discover what these verses are trying to say — the deep meaning they might hold.
I used to share these poems with Daria's family and friends. I realized, over time, that these words can help people understand the loss they are going through — that they are not alone. I have come to believe that grief is a deeply loving transformation, not a five-step process. When I felt I had lost everything, only love remained.
Lastly, I am choosing to publish these poems because I want you to know about Daria.
Welcome to my heart. You can take off your shoes if you like. Let me introduce you to what Daria taught me.
— Sherif
In memory of Daria · April 2023
About Daria
Daria was 4 months old when we met her for the first time. She came into our home and healed it. She made it whole. And she taught us how to love. Falling in love with Daria was the easiest thing I've ever done in my life.
From the moment she learned how to write, she wrote love letters. To all of us. On birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and even when I would travel back to London. She wrote beautiful love letters and hid them in my suitcase. I cannot talk about Daria without talking about love.
Death has its majesty. We are still taking our first footsteps on this long walk to reunite with her.
Daria, I love you. I am grateful that I've loved you and have been loved by you. We are building a whole world for you in our heart.
Rest in love, habibi.