¨-~=%*¤@@# #@@¤*%=~-¨
¨-~=%*¤@## ##@¤*%=~-¨
¨-~==%**¤¤ ¤¤**%==~-¨
¨--~=%*¤¤@ @¤¤*%=~--¨
¨-~=%*@@## ##@@*%=~-¨
¨-~=%*¤@@@ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ @@@¤*%=~-¨
¨-~=%*¤@@# 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. @@@¤*%=~-¨
¨-~=%*¤¤@@ @@¤¤*%=~-¨
¨-~=%¤@@## ##@@¤%=~-¨
¨¨¨~=%***@ @***%=~¨¨¨
¨-~=%*¤@@# #@@¤*%=~-¨
¨-~=%¤@@## ##@@¤%=~-¨
¨¨¨¨-~=*¤¤ ¤¤*=~-¨¨¨¨