PJ Swift: California Poets Part 9, Three Poems

PJ Swift

December 22nd, 2025

California Poets: Part IX

PJ Swift

Three Poems

The mammals

The mammals got together. For the most part they knew how to communicate among themselves. The masters have control over us; they shared with each other. They have tamed our ferociousness, neutered our physical strengths, and outwitted our quickness. We are but servants or subservient in their world, was their common lament, conceding, however, that their masters, in their presumed superiority, may have also taught them a few things. How else would the mammals have learned to congregate in such a civilized manner? But it occurred to the mammals that they, too, could teach their masters a few things. One bold mammal stated, for all their powers, aren't our masters also simply mammals in the most fundamental way? We can teach them. Something that they will appreciate, that they will take to naturally, and -- which will benefit us. We can teach humans to hibernate. And as they sleep, hidden away, finally, at least for a few cold months, we can all live in peace.

The party

Amid the pulsing lights and pounding music, S. stepped out of the party for a few moments. Just to enjoy the cool dark air, and the quiet. A brief reprise from the crowded scene full of energetic, bouncing bodies. S. stepped back inside. The music was slower, calmer now. The lights -- steady and dim. Around him were the same people. Now with much older faces, thinning hair, cautious gaits, and fragile smiles. They were all so old now. But the party kept on going. And S. wondered why he missed so much.

Smiling

The leader always came in wearing a huge smile. He was smiling during all his broadcasts, streams and tweets. Before long, he was leading a million soldiers all with perfect smiles. Marching in formations shaped like a smile. Shooting bullets with tiny etched-on smiles. Dropping bombs with giant painted smiles. And the leader kept laughing and smiling. Because he could.

Interview

March 3rd, 2026

California Poets Interview Series:

PJ Swift , Poet, Musician, Lyricist

interviewed by David Garyan

DG: Mystic Boxing Commission released Word Troubadours, a collaborative poetry book project with Ellyn Maybe. How did the endeavor start? Do you remember who wrote the first poem? And were there times when the project went in directions you both weren’t expecting?

PJ: The collaboration unfolded with great ease under the guidance of Ellyn Maybe who is essentially the curator of our collection. For the last couple of years Ellyn had been following my work as I endeavor to create a piece of writing each day. One day she created a weave, alternating some of her poems with some of my work. I had a few small suggestions regarding the order, with one or two recommendations about what to include or omit. It all came together very easily. After that all we had to do was come up with a name: Word Troubadours.

DG: A year before the actual release of Word Troubadours, you read a selection of work from the manuscript on Harry’s Poetry Hour, with Daniel Yaryan, publisher at Mystic Boxing Commission, also present. Two questions: Were any new poems added after that reading and how much editing was done to the existing poems subsequently?

PJ: At the time of the reading, our compilation had already been completed and was only waiting on publication. So, it’s the same collection. That said, it would be very cool to create a follow-up edition someday soon. 

DG: Most pieces on Harry’s Poetry Hour are read separately but then there’s also an instance in the poem “People” where Ellyn reads one section and you read another. Could you talk about the stylistic choices inherent in dividing the reading of that piece?

PJ: Collaboration and spontaneity comprise part of the Word Troubadours ethos. That reading arose from that. Going forward, we hope to read in a variety of collaborative and spontaneous ways.

DG: Staying with Harry’s Poetry Hour, you end up, through a discussion of Eastern Europe, reading the poem “Ellyn Maybe’s Dream.” She didn’t happen to have the piece on hand and that spontaneous, natural transition towards reciting a poem you hadn’t written creates an interesting effect—adding­­ an additional, and perhaps unforeseen dimension to the collaborative process. Had you already heard Ellyn read that particular poem many times before, and if not, how anxious did you feel about the task at that moment?

PJ: I just kind of went with it. I never read that particular poem before, but I have read some of her other poems, so I understand her rhythms and flows, at least in a way that I can interpret.

DG: Which of Ellyn’s lines or specific poems are your favorites in the collection?

PJ: "Cinema Dance" has long been my favorite, not least because this is the one poem that I can sort of take credit for encouraging her to write. Being an Artist is another all time favorite. I love all the lines, including the opening which goes: Being an artist means the recession will always be there and has always been here while you sit not writing screenplays not taking meetings.

DG: Word Troubadours inspired Daniel Yaryan to create the Sparring All-Stars Series, bringing together two poets for one book. If you could see any collaboration between two writers—or even if you could work with any writer of choice—who would some of those people be and why?

PJ: That’s so exciting that we’ve inspired this series, and perhaps, a budding movement. Since we’ve just launched Word Troubadours, I think we’re happy to keep the arrangement we have for now. But the more we perform, I would imagine opportunities emerging organically to invite others to join in.

DG: You have, in your own words, “embarked on a journey of creating a story, a lyric or an anecdote each day.” Could you talk about some of the work you’ve done up to this point and were there times in which you were extremely close to missing a day?

PJ: So, ever since 2019, I’ve challenged myself to write something like a story a day, which quickly took other forms like lyrics or prose poetry. At first this mission was to last one year. But soon, people like Ellyn encouraged me to keep on going.  Now I am too afraid to quit, even on days when I’ve got nothing.  A couple of times, I have gone to sleep, realizing that I must have forgotten something. Then, I quickly wake up and scramble to create something. Even on regular day, it is often a scramble—but that’s part of the energy of the project. Every contribution I have written for Word Troubadours has been written during the course of a single day. Perhaps I have not yet learned how to live with a piece and return to it and refine it. But that’s the nature of my project with its inherent pluses and minuses.

DG: Before moving to Southern California, you lived in Europe. When did you arrive and to what extent was adjustment to a different environment and life difficult for you?

PJ: Moving to Southern California almost ten years ago was a bit of a culture shock, especially after living in Europe for so long. But ever since my very early childhood, I have had to move around to a lot, so I am used to picking up and adapting to new environments. And I have had brief stints here in California before. Actually, it would be hard for me to imagine being rooted in one place, as much as I would appreciate the benefits.

DG: What’s a place in California you’ve never been but would like to visit?

PJ: California is a vast and wondrous state with a lot for me yet to discover. I am fascinated by San Simeon, one man’s futile attempt at empire and immortality. I’d love to someday explore that bizarre and ornate monument to an almost forgotten titan. Much closer to home, just a short trip away, is the Sriracha factory. I am very curious to see the factory where every single bottle of the world’s sriracha sauce is exclusively manufactured, and they even give tours. Apparently, even the air in the surrounding neighborhood smells like garlic and chili—what’s not to love.

DG: What are you reading these days?

PJ: Too much of the news—which is maybe not a good thing. But at least I don’t get my information from cable news. Since I started writing my daily pieces, I have also been exploring a lot more poetry, filling in the gaps with both classic and contemporary poets and writers. I am discovering a lot accomplished, profound, and whimsical poetry on just about a weekly basis.

Author Bio:

After living for decades in his native Europe, PJ Swift moved to Southern California and suddenly, in middle age, began writing poetic pieces. Committed to creating one piece per day, PJ Swift embarked on a journey of creating a story, a lyric or an anecdote each day. A thousand and one nights have come and gone (now, over 2,500 and counting) and PJ Swift continues with his poetic pursuit ... with each new piece an individual entity existing in its own realm. 

In 2025, Mystic Boxing Commission released a collaborative poetry book by PJ SWIFT & ELLYN MAYBE, aka WORD TROUBADOURS.