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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.             ,,,,,~\**#
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*\~,,,,,,, HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY LOW ,,,,,,,~\*
\~,,,,,,,, PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ,,,,,,,,~\
~,,,,,,,,, EARTH  IS  BARE  IN  PATCHES AS LARGE AS ,,,,,,,,,~
,,,,,,,,,,               YOU AND ME.                ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, CROSS IT  TO GET TO  THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ,,,,,,,,,,
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