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.....,~~=§             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.          §££=~~~~,.
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