,,,:-†**§#                                          #§**†-:,,,
,,,,:-†**§                                          §**†-:,,,,
,,,,,:-†**                                          **†-:,,,,,
,,,,,,:-†*                                          *†-:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:-†                                          †-:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:-             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             -:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,:             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.          -:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,:                                          :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:-                                          -:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:-†                                          †-:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:-†*                                          *†-:,,,,,,
,,,,,:-†**                                          **†-:,,,,,
,,,,:-†**§                                          §**†-:,,,,