,,~†§$¤###                                          ###¤$§†~,,
,,,~†§$¤##                                          ##¤$§†~,,,
,,,,~†§$¤#                                          #¤$§†~,,,,
,,,,,~†§$¤                                          ¤$§†~,,,,,
,,,,,,~†§$                                          $§†~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~†§             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             §†~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~†             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.               $§†~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~†§                                          §†~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~† cross it to get  to the ocean, or  don't †~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~          to stay where you are.          ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~†                                          †~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~†§                                          §†~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~†§$                                          $§†~,,,,,,
,,,,,~†§$¤                                          ¤$§†~,,,,,
,,,,~†§$¤#                                          #¤$§†~,,,,
,,,~†§$¤##                                          ##¤$§†~,,,