“The Missing Moment”
by Fredrick Zydek
It’s that split second when you could have said
“no” but went along with the crowd; the chance
you had to step from the chaos into a sweeter
season but allowed fear to nudge you back into
5 the status quo1. Dream tending is a difficult art.
They must take their terrible shape in the theatre
of the imagination, wait for the perfect moment,
then roar from the silence wearing a plethora
of logical explanations and all the primary colors.
10 These are moments that have a lot in common
with opportunity. Often they knock only once,
cast but a brief smile in our direction, then move
on. They are moments that make or break us.
They decide the shape our karma3 will take, fix
15 our moral compass, and determine who we will be
when the sun comes up the following morning.
Which sentence states the theme of the poem?
A Life is a series of regrets and disappointments.
B Speak up for what is right even if you are afraid.
C Following others will ultimately lead to ruin.
D How one acts in small moments affects larger outcomes.