^--.......                                          .......--^
*^--......                                          ......--^*
$*^--.....                                          .....--^*$
£$*^--....                                          ....--^*$£
¶£$*^--...                                          ...--^*$£¶
#¶£$*^--..             ................             ..--^*$£¶#
##¶£$*^--.             the alvar fields             .--^*$£¶##
#¶£$*^--..             $$$##########$$$             ..--^*$£¶#
¶£$*^--...                                          ...--^*$£¶
£$*^--.... 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 ......--^*
$*^--..... plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the .....--^*$
£$*^--.... earth is bare  in  patches  as  large as ....--^*$£
¶£$*^--...               you and me.                ...--^*$£¶
#¶£$*^--..                                          ..--^*$£¶#
##¶£$*^--. cross it to  get to  the ocean, or don't .--^*$£¶##
#¶£$*^--..          to stay where you are.          ..--^*$£¶#
¶£$*^--...                                          ...--^*$£¶
£$*^--....                                          ....--^*$£
$*^--.....                                          .....--^*$
*^--......                                          ......--^*
^--.......                                          .......--^
--........                                          ........--