We Need Help Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

What do you suppose that means?

'What?
What does 'what' mean? '

Up in the sky.
That plane has just printed,
'WE NEED HELP'
In huge block letters.

'Today?
Who knows.
The hungry homeless and those poor,
Are 'always' on a mission to get attention.
Now they've hired a skywriter.
As if the increase of crime,
Mass shootings...
And those clearly deranged,
Have been given a license to destroy...
The standards we value right here on Earth.
Look...
There is that same family,
Pretending to be destitute.
Give them a dollar.
I gave them one yesterday.'

A dollar?
All I have are tens and twenties.
I smiled at them the other day.
They were satisfied with that.
At least they are not like the others.

'You mean like the ones crawling around,
On the streets everywhere? '

Yeah.
Those.
So dramatic.
When my ancestors arrived here,
Over a hundred years ago...
They did manage to maintain,
Some kind of dignity about themselves.
Comeon!
I still want to pick up a couple of suits,
Before the game starts.