,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,,,,,†%&&                                          &&%†,,,,,,
,,~~~%%%&#                                          #&%%%~~~,,
,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&&&&                                          &&&&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###             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.          ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,~†%%&###                                          ###&%%†~,,
,,,,~†%&&#                                          #&&%†~,,,,
,,,,,,~%&#                                          #&%~,,,,,,