How many syllables in this poem tadpoles swim quickly until its tail wiggles loose and a frog hops out?

* Tadpoles swim quickly: 5 syllables

* Until its tail wiggles loose: 7 syllables

* And a frog hops out: 5 syllables

Adding the syllables from each line: 5 + 7 + 5 = 17 syllables

Therefore, there are 17 syllables in the poem.