,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:- -:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:-* *-:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:-** **-:,,,,,,
,,,,,:-**§ ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, §**-:,,,,,
,,,,:-**§@ 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. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:- -:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:-* *-:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:-** **-:,,,,,,
,,,,,:-**§ §**-:,,,,,