What is the name of the three-line, non-rhyming poem that uses a 5-7-5 syllable pattern?

• A. Haiku
• B. Sonnet
• C. Limerick
• D. Ballad

Answer: (A)

The form described is a haiku. It packs meaning into three short lines with a 5-7-5 syllable rhythm, and it usually doesn’t rhyme. Haikus often focus on a moment in nature or a simple observation, aiming for a clear, instant image rather than rhyme or elaborate storytelling. In English practice, the 5-7-5 count is a common way to approximate the traditional rhythm, though original Japanese haiku count uses different units called morae.

For contrast, a sonnet runs fourteen lines and typically uses a regular meter with a rhyme scheme; a limerick has five lines with a playful, distinctive AABBA rhyme pattern; a ballad is a longer, narrative poem often told in verses with its own rhyme and meter. The three-line, non-rhyming structure with a 5-7-5 pattern matches haiku.