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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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