The Choka
The Choka is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that
alternates lines of 5 and 7 syllables. Unusually for Japanese
forms, the Choka can be a very long piece if so desired. The
poem is followed by a single additional line of 7 syllables,
called an envoi, which is usually a summary of the poem in a
single line. With this form, the poem is in effect an extended
Tanka, which has a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure. The difference
with Choka is that you can have as many alternating 5-7-5-7
lines as you like before the final 7 syllable line, but the poem
must always end with a 7 syllable line, plus the envoi of 7
syllables, so that the poem always has a couplet of two 7
syllable lines at the end.
There is no limit to number of lines as long as they follow the
5-7 syllable rule until the last three lines which would be 5-7-
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