,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##                                          ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##                                          ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###             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.          ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##                                          ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##                                          ##&&%*~.,,
,.~*%&&###                                          ###&&%*~.,
,,.~*%&&##                                          ##&&%*~.,,