Indian Outpost

In an arid, bleak
And desolate corner
Of Northern Arizona,
East of the Grand Canyon,
Lies a small Indian outpost.
Colorful Native blankets,
Flap gently in the breeze,
Flagging down
Passing tourists.
Those who stop
Can sort through
A wide variety
Of Indian arts and crafts,
Especially turquoise
And silver jewelry.
The Native Americans
Operating the store
Have a culture
And an oral history
Far older than ours,
And I’ll bet their stories
And ancient folklore
Would be equally
As colorful
As the crafts
They produce,
Had I taken
The time to listen.