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,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,
~,,,,,,,,,             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ,,,,,,,,,~
\~,,,,,,,,             $$$##########$$$             ,,,,,,,,~\
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$=\~,,,,,, FROM   NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY  ODD ,,,,,,~\=$
§$=\~,,,,, KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ,,,,,~\=$§
#§$=\~,,,, THOUSAND METERS.  FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ,,,,~\=$§#
##§$=\~,,, A FOOT  OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO ,,,~\=$§##
###§$=\~,,             DUST CAN LINGER.             ,,~\=$§###
##§$=\~,,,                                          ,,,~\=$§##
#§$=\~,,,, HERE  IS EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW ,,,,~\=$§#
§$=\~,,,,, PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ,,,,,~\=$§
$=\~,,,,,, EARTH IS  BARE IN  PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS ,,,,,,~\=$
=\~,,,,,,,                YOU AND ME.               ,,,,,,,~\=
\~,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,~\
~,,,,,,,,, CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN,  OR  DON'T ,,,,,,,,,~
,,,,,,,,,,          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ,,,,,,,,,,
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$=\~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~\=$