...^~\%&£# #£&%\~^...
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...^~\%&£# #£&%\~^...
..^~\%&£## ##£&%\~^..
.^~\%&£### ###£&%\~^.
..^~\%&£## ................ ##£&%\~^..
...^~\%&£# 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. ##£&%\~^..
.^~\%&£### ###£&%\~^.
..^~\%&£## ##£&%\~^..
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