Things an Alarm Clock Doesn't Know

It has hands and a face

and a brain of sorts

but an alarm clock doesn't know

that you're still tired

that you are having the best dream ever

when it begins its routine shrieking

It doesn't know or care

that you had a good reason

for staying up too late

tending a sick child

working on a report for school

reading a book that could not be put down

An alarm clock only does

what it has been told to do

by the pushing of a button:

When it's time, make noise

make lots of noise

until someone orders you not to