I wrote this poem for my friend, Christian Holder. We have been friends since our school days.
Christian’s talents were boundless—he was a dancer (one of the most iconic dancers of The Joffrey Ballet), singer, playwright, painter, and costume designer (he designed Tina Turner’s costumes from 1974-1984). Beyond his incredible artistic gifts, he was always charming and a true gentleman.
I Always Thought I’d See You Again
I always thought I’d see you again,
Let’s meet for lunch, we said,
or tea with jam
and bread.
Let’s talk about old times, we said,
of Corona Academy Stage School.
Remember when in the dinner hall—
we wrote poems and nonsense rhymes
lampooning all the teachers—
we even lampooned the Head!
I remember it all…
Let’s laugh and play the fool, we said,
like we’re together again at playtimes—
when we’d changement and jeté
over a skipping rope,
or jump the playground wall.
You left school to go to New York
and became a world-class ballet star.
Pliés, tendus, developpés and port de bras—
exercises and hard work,
with long hours training at the barre.
You astound the world—
with your talent and style,
your art, your costume design.
Your grand jetés en l’air
leapt high—
higher than a mile.
With pirouettes and attitude en tournant,
spinning fouettés, and cabriole,
arabesques with fluid line—
and with your special smile
and soul,
the theatre world was thine.
I always thought I’d see you again.
I never thought I’d not.
I never thought it’d be like this.
No farewell,
no goodbye,
no Camelot,
no kiss…
I’ll miss you, Christian—
my old school chum.
I must now bid you sad adieu…
But just know this, my longtime friend—
I never will.
Not even when time stands still.
I never will.
Not even when I too lie buried on Strawberry Hill.
I never will...
forget you.
Now’s the time to beat the drum—
a long, slow beating dirge of doom.
Now’s the time to sing in glory—
a celestial song of your sweet story.
Now’s the time for angels
to thrum the harp with strings of gold.
Now’s the time for you to rest,
for now your story’s told.
Yet still…
I always thought I’d see you again.
Let’s meet for lunch, we said—
or perhaps enjoy a cup of tea.
I wish you well,
wherever you might be.
A star dancer dancing—
with the stars;
in the firmament above,
in the mountains,
in the sea...
I hope you know—
you have my love,
wherever you might be.
With one sad sigh,
and a deep red rose—
Goodbye, my friend.
’Tis time…
for the old playbook to close…
to take your final curtain call…
for the final cloth to fall.
Yet still…
I always thought I’d see you again.
I guess I never will.
Christian Holder—
you have my love.
A pure white dove,
dancing lightly
on your shoulder.
A storm is brewing.
Large clouds muster.
And in their gathering I pause…
The thunder claps.
’Tis God’s applause—
in the Grand Opera House
in the sky.
With one sad sigh,
and a deep red rose—
I say goodbye,
my friend.
’Tis time for the old playbook to close.
’Tis time for the final curtain call.
’Tis time for the final cloth to fall.
The ballet’s at an end.
Yet still—
I always thought I’d see you again.
I guess…
I never will.
—Lesley Scoble, June 2025
Audio – narration
Old School Friends – Corona Academy Stage School
I am second from the left – my brother Michael is first on the left of the boys row at the back – and Christian is third from the right | Corona Academy Stage School Photo
Christian’s Art
Christian’s oil paintings are sublime. Here is an image of the beautiful, three-foot-high painting he created of my sister.
W3 Poetry Prompt #162
I was already working on the elegy for Christian when I saw that this week’s W3 Poetry Prompt was on the theme of grief. With a few adjustments and inspiration from the prompt, I completed it.
Read Bob’s prompt guidelines here
Write a poem inspired by “Mama’s Voice in the Kitchen.” Be sure to include both of the following elements:
a. Required Poetic Device: Repetition/Anaphora
Your poem must include deliberate repetition of a word, phrase, or sentence structure at least three times throughout the piece. This could be:
- The same word beginning multiple lines or stanzas
- A repeated phrase that acts as a refrain
- Parallel sentence structures that create rhythm and emphasis
Example from the inspiration piece: “keep cookin’”, “keep settin’”, “keep talkin’”
b. Required Word: “Still”
Your poem must incorporate the word “still” at least twice. This word can function as:
- An adverb indicating continuation (“I still remember…”)
- An adjective describing quietness (“the still morning”)
- A verb meaning to calm or quiet (“to still the waters”)
This word connects to the poem’s themes of persistence, memory, and the tension between movement and stillness in grief.
Additional Notes
Focus on creating vivid, sensory details that ground your emotions in concrete imagery
Your poem should explore how physical spaces hold emotional significance
Consider writing in an authentic voice that feels personal and conversational
There are no restrictions on length, form, or rhyme scheme
*I’m not sure that my poem meets the “Your poem should explore how physical spaces hold emotional significance” brief. But I’m grateful for Bob Lynn’s inspirational prompt, which helped guide me through a difficult poem.
My thanks to the Poet of the Week, Bob Lynn. I may not have completely fulfilled all the terms of his ‘grief’ prompt, but the inspiration helped guide me through a difficult poem.
As always, my gratitude goes to David Bogomolny, of The Skeptics Kaddish, for his motivation and encouragement. Follow the link below to learn more about the W3 poetry prompts.
LesleyScoble.com 
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