1st and 7th drink?

American poets advocate writing in 3-5-3 syllables or 2-3-2, the classical haiku rule is 5-7-5, steming from an even older artform, the tanka, 5-7-5-7-7, This was often split between 2 authors, one writing the 5-7-5, the other *answering* with 7-7, often to be *answered* again with a 5-7-5: thus building tangka chains 1000 and more links long.

Whatever, Robert Frost said poetry without rules is like a tennis match without a net - and it is true also for haiku. And Basho had his motto: "Learn the rules; and then forget them." Take your personal pick:

1. Seventeen syllables in one line.
2. Seventeen syllables written in three lines.
3. Seventeen syllables written in three lines divided into 5-7-5.
4. Seventeen syllables written in a vertical (flush left or centered) line.
5. Less than 17 syllables written in three lines as short-long-short.
6. Less than 17 syllables written in three vertical lines as short-long-short. (Ala Barry Semegran)
7. Write what can be said in one breath.

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More at geoff's place :)
So, ready?