“SHE was more than a friend, Jean Breeze was my sister.” That is how choreographer and artistic director of L’Acadco Dr L’Antoinette Stines remembers the late poet Jean “Binta” Breeze, who died on Wednesday following a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The two giants of the local arts community met more than 30 years ago, as Stines was asked to choreograph Breeze’s first performance on Reggae Sunsplash.

“The connection was almost instant as her energy was so powerful. I don’t even remember if I charged her to do the choreography, furthermore she had no money. If my memory serves me right, she took a minibus to meet us at the location… but that power… that energy in her words and poetry just connected with me,” Stines told Jamaica Observer.

“We have remained friends and sisters ever since. We have met up all over the world. Whenever she is in Kingston, she always stays with me right here in this house. We spoke every day until the day she died,” Stines continued.

She described that news of Breeze’s death left her numb, unable to react one way or the other. As while she was fully aware of the state of health of the performance poet/author, it was still surreal for her, given the vibrant nature of her friend.

“I should have been expecting it, after all she was living with one lung. Plus, the time she had been given by the doctors, she had surpassed it so with all of that, I should have expected, but I didn’t. I know my lesson to be taken from her life… never complain. Jean never complained. She was schizophrenic, living with one lung and she never complained and asked God: ‘Why me?’ She was always grateful for her talent and every little niceness in her life. So many people complain, they have dinner but no lettuce and they complain. She always gave thanks,” said Stines.

Stines paid homage to Breeze a few years ago by choreographing Quilted Memories, a tale of five women sharing their life stories. She used poems written by Breeze to tell these tales.

“I loved this woman so much that I created this piece using her poetry. There is a sensitivity with which she writes about the stories for women about women. I recall her crying as she sat proud and watched the work on stage for the first time. I loved that she was so happy to see her work interpreted in this way. I remember my son, who lives overseas, seeing the work for the first time and asking me who choreographed the piece. I told him that I did and he said it was just not my style, it had a different energy… such was the energy of Jean Breeze,” Stines added.

The 65-year-old passed away at her home in Sandy Bay, Hanover, last Wednesday.

In the 1970s, she was a part of the ‘dub poetry’ movement based at the Jamaica School of Drama alongside Michael Smith, and Oku Onuora. Her poetry went beyond that genre after she settled in Britain from 1985. Her poem Riddim Ravings (The Mad Woman Poem) is considered a classic of modern Caribbean poetry.

Her books include Riddim Ravings, Spring Cleaning, The Fifth Figure, Third World Girl, and Verandah Poems.

She is survived by her son, international cricketer Gareth; daughters, Imega and Caribe; and, two grandchildren.