David Grayson - Three Questions

David Grayson was born in San Francisco in 1969. Due to his interest in short poems, he became intrigued with haiku. He started experimenting with haiku in 1998. He joined the Haiku Poets of Northern California in 2002, and has been active in HPNC for several years, currently serving as Vice President. He is featured in A New Resonance 6: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku, and is also a featured poet in My Neighbor, the 2009 installment of the Two Autumns chapbook and reading series. He served as Editor of Moonlight Changing Direction, the 2008 Two Autumns chapbook.

His haiku have won First Place in the 2008 Gerald Brady Senryu Contest, and Third Place and Second Honorable Mention in 2008 Anita Sadler Weiss Memorial Haiku Awards. He was the recipient of the Mariposa Chime Award for 2007.

Grayson has also written numerous book reviews and essays. Essay topics range from the relationship of modern art and haiku to Hebrew-language haiku to the formal characteristics of short poems.

He works in the Internet industry, currently as Director of Product Management for a large consumer web company. He lives with his wife and two children, in Alameda, California.

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1) Why do you write haiku?

Philosophically and temperamentally, I value simplicity: boiling things to their essence. I also like the practice of suggestion, and its subtle tether. This helps haiku retain some mystery, which is essential to my experience of art.

2) What other poetic forms do you enjoy?

I'm drawn to other forms of short poetry as well. Beyond short poems, I've been a longtime reader of 'mainstream' poetry, especially poetry in translation: Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish and Latin American.

3) Of the many wonderful haiku you've written, what do you consider to be your top three? (Please provide original publication credits.)


Halloween party—
after a few drinks
the masks come off

Frogpond, XXVIII:3
inside the mirror: Red Moon Anthology 2005
A New Resonance 6: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku



street corner memorial—
my four-year-old
asks for the balloon

1st Place, 2008 HSA Brady Senryu Contest
My Neighbor (Two Autumns Press, 2009)



choosing a Christmas tree—
the kids think
every one is perfect

A New Resonance 6: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku

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If you've been enjoying this weekly series and have not contributed, please consider sharing your response (whether it be for haiku or tanka) to the three little questions that David answered. You must be a published poet in order to participate.

Jörgen Johansson will be our guest next week.