Haiku: Count 5-7-5 Before You Call It Done
A haiku lives in seventeen syllables. This checker estimates each line's count so you can see where a line runs long or short.
What is the Haiku Validator?
Paste a three-line poem and the tool estimates syllables per line with a vowel-group heuristic and checks the 5-7-5 pattern. This is a heuristic check, not a true syllable count: English syllables are irregular, so treat near misses as worth a manual recount.
How to use it
- Paste your three-line poem.
- Click Check Haiku.
- Recount by ear if the result is a near miss.
Worked example
The sample poem counts 5, 7, and 5 syllables by the heuristic, matching the 5-7-5 pattern.
Does the sample pond haiku fit 5-7-5?
By the vowel-group heuristic it counts 5, 7, and 5, so it matches the pattern.
Frequently asked questions
Is the count exact?
No. It is a vowel-group heuristic, and English has many exceptions, so recount by ear for a final verdict.
Must a haiku be exactly 5-7-5?
In English practice, many haiku bend the count to preserve the image; the pattern is a guide, not a law.