,,«*§¤§###                                          ###§¤§*«,,
,«*§¤§####                                          ####§¤§*«,
,,«*§¤¤¤##                                          ##¤¤¤§*«,,
,,«*§¤§###                                          ###§¤§*«,,
,,,,«§¤§##                                          ##§¤§«,,,,
,,«*§¤§###             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ###§¤§*«,,
,,«*§¤§###             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.          §§«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,*¤#                                          #¤*,,,,,,,
,,«*§¤¤¤¤§                                          §¤¤¤¤§*«,,
,,,,,«*§§§                                          §§§*«,,,,,
,,«*§¤####                                          ####¤§*«,,
,,«§¤§####                                          ####§¤§«,,
,,«*§¤§###                                          ###§¤§*«,,