What is the Japanese poetic form consisting of three unrhymed lines with a total of 17 syllables?

The Japanese poetic form that consists of three unrhymed lines totaling 17 syllables is known as a haiku. This form typically follows a 5-7-5 syllable structure, where the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line has five syllables. The haiku often evokes nature or seasonal imagery and emphasizes brevity and depth of meaning.

In contrast, a sonnet is a 14-line poem typically written in iambic pentameter, often following specific rhyme schemes such as the Petrarchan or Shakespearean forms. A ballad is a narrative poem that tells a story and is often characterized by a musical quality and a regular rhyme and rhythm. A tercet consists of three lines of poetry that can follow various rhyming patterns, but it does not adhere to a specific syllable count or thematic focus like the haiku.

Thus, the haiku stands out distinctly among these forms due to its unique structure and emphasis on nature and simplicity.