What I Am

I am an alarm. I am a timer. I am a school bell. This is what I am. I do not speak for hours. I sit and I wait. I wait for what? I wait for when the time is right. I wait for when I am ready. I wait for when I am needed, not wanted. This is what I am. I wait, and I listen. I listen for the sounds of those around me, talking, screaming, whispering. I listen to these noises so that when it is my time to be heard, I will be ready. This is what I am. I listen, and I observe. I observe those around me, I observe the world, spinning in circles. I observe, not too terribly close, because if I do I become caught up in things that do not involve me. But I observe, so that when it is my turn to be watched, I will be ready. This is what I am. I wait, I listen, I observe. But now, I stop. I do not listen, I do not observe, and I cannot wait. Now is my time, and if I wait any longer, I will not be heard. Now, I speak. This is what I am. I speak, and when I do, those around me are caught off guard. The world stops spinning, like I have stopped waiting. And all listen. All observe. All wait. They wait… for me to speak again. This is what I am.