.....~«= #&=«~.....
.~«^=$#### ####$=^«~.
.....~~^$& &$^~~.....
....~«==$& &$==«~....
.~«^$### ####&$^«~.
..~«««^$ ................ #&$^«««~..
.~«^=$## 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 #&&&$=^«~.
.~«^=$$$&& PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE &&$$$=^«~.
.~«^=$$$ EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS #&$$$=^«~.
.~«^=$## YOU AND ME. ###&$=^«~.
.~«^=$## ###&$=^«~.
.~«^=$## CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ###&$=^«~.
.~«^=$## TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. ###&$=^«~.
.~«^=$## ###&$=^«~.
......«^=& &=^«......
.~«^=$## ###&$=^«~.
.....«=$$& &$$=«.....
.~«^=$&&&& &&&&$=^«~.
.~«^====$& &$====^«~.