At 28 years of age, poet Leo Breavman takes his memories of childhood and his female conquests as a starting point to create his work. In full identity crisis, he puts an end to his torrid liaison with Tamara in order to spend some time in New York. While writing in a coffee shop, Leo shares a glance with Shell, a graphic designer who divides her time between Montreal and New York. Not long after, the young woman leaves her husband and engages in a passionate affair with the poet.