,,,~////&@ @&////~,,,
,,,,~/%¤¤¤ ¤¤¤%/~,,,,
,~=/%&¤@## ##@¤&%/=~,
,,,,,=%¤¤@ @¤¤%=,,,,,
,~=/%&¤@## ##@¤&%/=~,
,,,~~/&&¤@ ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, @¤&&/~~,,,
,~=/%&¤@@# 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. ¤%///==~,,
,,,,~~=/%¤ ¤%/=~~,,,,
,,,,,~//&¤ ¤&//~,,,,,
,~===%%¤@@ @@¤%%===~,
,~=/%&&¤@@ @@¤&&%/=~,
,~=/%&¤@## ##@¤&%/=~,
,~=/%&¤@## ##@¤&%/=~,