.,~\^*&### ###&*^\~,.
..,~\^*&## ##&*^\~,..
...,~\^*&# #&*^\~,...
....,~\^*& &*^\~,....
...,~\^*&# #&*^\~,...
..,~\^*&## ................ ##&*^\~,..
.,~\^*&### 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. &*^\~,....
...,~\^*&# #&*^\~,...
..,~\^*&## ##&*^\~,..
.,~\^*&### ###&*^\~,.
..,~\^*&## ##&*^\~,..
...,~\^*&# #&*^\~,...
....,~\^*& &*^\~,....