Does haiku have to be 5–7–5?

A form, not a verdict

Five, seven, and five syllables offer a memorable frame for three lines. The constraint can sharpen choices, reveal unnecessary words, and give a beginning writer something tangible to work against.

Contemporary English-language haiku are also often shorter or use different rhythms. Japanese haiku count sound units called on, which do not correspond neatly to English syllables.

Use the count as guidance

A syllable estimate can help you hear a line, but it cannot judge the poem. Read aloud. Notice pace, weight, and the space around each image. Keep 5–7–5 when it serves the moment; loosen it when it does not.