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Free Cycles

Creative Prompt: Write a haiku about the total magic of popping a squat and taking in the Free Cycles dome, a haiku about fall bonfires, or a haiku about your bike.

What's a haiku again? A haiku is short, only three lines long. It has five syllables in the first and third lines. It has seven syllables in the second line. That's the bad news, the good news is the lines don't need to rhyme.

Here are two examples:
Thelma and Louise
enter a haiku "wrong room"
they whisper and leave

river snatch dream girl
manic pixie without pants
hard, work, that nothing

For the full Free Cycles experience, perhaps you can pump up some tubes on a free childrens' bicycle. Treasure Hunters, ask Free Cycles how you can help out, if you can. And please write to me if you know a sustainable alternative to laminating. I'd love to build a better alternative into our model next year.


Thank you so much for curating such an inspiring place for our community to land, bike, and be, Free Cycles!


If you'd like to submit your work to our community, anthology zine, please send it to me with your pen name through my Contact Form. You can request my address there, if you'd like to send hard copies.


Please tag me if you post your work to Instagram, I'd be so happy to see it and share it. My handle is @taylor_stein__


The Creative Experiment & Treasure Hunt was cooked up by Taylor Stein. If you enjoyed this prompt and would like more creative goodness in your life, please check out Wonder-Gizmos, a Snail Mail Creative Writing Club & Whimsy Machine. Every month, Wonder-Gizmos delivers writing prompts, curated inspiration, and warm absurdity to your mailbox.

Assortment of Books

Where can I find more?

Here are all the spots around town where you can find unique, place-based creative prompts. If you don't have time to bop everywhere, the prompts are also available here.

Want to join next year's treasure hunt? Fabulous, just message me!

  • Free Cycles (Wed-Sat, 10-6:00)

  • Bob's Your Uncle

  • The Roxy

  • Northside Community Garden

  • The Moon-Randolph Homestead (open Saturdays, 11-5:00)

  • The Missoula Art Museum

  • Betty's Divine

  • Frame of Mind Art Supplies

  • Giving Art to Missoula

  • Kiwanis Park

  • Bonner Park

  • Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters

  • California Street Bridge

  • University of Montana, the UC

  • Little Free Library, Draught Works

  • Downtown Missoula, Worden's Bulletin Board

  • US Post Office Downtown

  • The Hip Strip

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