,,,,~†*£¤@                                          @¤£*†~,,,,
,,,,,~†*£¤                                          ¤£*†~,,,,,
,,,,~†*£¤@                                          @¤£*†~,,,,
,,,~†*£¤@#                                          #@¤£*†~,,,
,,~†*£¤@##                                          ##@¤£*†~,,
,,,~†*£¤@#             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             #@¤£*†~,,,
,,,,~†*£¤@             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.          #@¤£*†~,,,
,,~†*£¤@##                                          ##@¤£*†~,,
,,,~†*£¤@#                                          #@¤£*†~,,,
,,,,~†*£¤@                                          @¤£*†~,,,,
,,,,,~†*£¤                                          ¤£*†~,,,,,
,,,,~†*£¤@                                          @¤£*†~,,,,
,,,~†*£¤@#                                          #@¤£*†~,,,