How to Check Syllables for Haiku Poems in English

Check your word count and syllables in a haiku poem.

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry consisting of 17 sound syllables called moras, or "on." The poems have three phases, and in English haiku poems, these phases appear as three separate poetry lines stacked on top of of each other. Amateur writers of haiku poems in English pay most attention to a fairly unimportant part of the poem, the syllabic structure, and insist that the first line needs to have five syllables, the second needs to have seven and the final line should have five.

Instructions

1. Read the poem out loud. Concentrate on the poem's rhythm as you read. Read the poem a few times, since haiku are short. If possible, memorize the poem. Recite the poem to yourself to complete the next steps.

2. Read the first line of the haiku. For every syllable, make an accent mark above the word. If you can not write on the poem itself, make a check mark on a separate sheet of paper.

3. Make sure that the first line has five syllables. If the line reads "Around the lake white snow," this is six syllables in English. "Scent of plum blossoms," a translation of a haiku by Basho, is five syllables.

4. Mark the syllables in the second line. Find the seven syllables. Make a accent mark above each word. Note the sound the words make, with techniques like alliteration which blend sounds and word pictures to make an image.

5. Count the last line. Mark five syllables if the line has five. Offer suggestions to the poet if the line sounds strained or unimaginative.

References

• AHA Poetry: Keirule: Haiku
• Haiku: CC: ehime: Traditional Haiku