When they found out, she said you should be cured.
She told you of a Paris doctor using electric shocks in his well appointed clinic near the Place de la Republique. She wrote a long letter detailing how God could give you strength to overcome sin. How she heard of a friend of a friend that was miraculously saved after his visit to France. She had high hopes for you. She said she was only doing it for your long term benefit, because she cared for you. She said your father didn’t know she was writing to you. You read the two page letter in your bedroom, near a large window overlooking Kingsland Road. The night before you met a man with green eyes, dark hair and luscious lips, studying to be a profesional ventriloquist. His name was Jason. He had just finished a job at the Young Vic. You took him to your place, half empty as you had moved there a few weeks before, you spent the night together. You can be one and many, he said lying down in your bed on the floor, half covered with a white duvet. As he left, you could see his shadow stretching near the entrance door, his face turning for a last kiss. The postman rang the bell early in the morning.
He had a letter for you.

Leonardo Boix is the first Latino-British poet to be selected for the Complete Works Poetry (mentored by Michael Schmidt), a UK national programme whose fellows have included Sarah Howe, Mona Arshi and Warsan Shire among others. He is also the only Latino-British poet to be included in the Breaking Ground list of significant UK writers of colour.