,,,»»»»**¤ ¤**»»»»,,,
,~»;*&¤¶## ##¶¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## ##¶¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¤¤# #¤¤¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&&&¤# #¤&&&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ##¶¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## 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. ¶¶¤&&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## ##¶¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## ##¶¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤¶## ##¶¤&*;»~,
,,,,,~»;&¤ ¤&;»~,,,,,
,~»;*&¤### ###¤&*;»~,
,~»;*&¤### ###¤&*;»~,