..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# ................ #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## 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. #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# #@@@^=~...
..~=^@@@## ##@@@^=~..
...~=^@@@# #@@@^=~...