Nothing has changed.</br>The body is susceptible to pain$$$</br>It must eat and breath air and sleep$$$</br>It has thin skin and blood right underneath$$$</br>An adequate stock of teeth and nails$$$</br>Its bones are breakable$$$ its joints are stretchable.</br>In tortures all this is taken into account.</br>Nothing has changed.</br>The body shudders as it is shuddered</br>Before the founding of Rome and after$$$</br>In the twentieth century before and after Christ.</br>Tortures are as they were$$$ it's just the earth thats grown smaller$$$</br>And whatever happens seems on the other side of the wall.</br>Nothing has changed.</br>It's just that there are more people$$$</br>Besides the old offenses$$$ new ones have appeared$$$</br>Real$$$ imaginary$$$ temporary$$$ and none$$$</br>But the howl with which the body responds to them$$$</br>Was$$$ and is$$$ and ever will be a howl of innocence</br>According to the time-honored scale and tonality.</br>Nothing has changed.</br>Maybe just the manners$$$ ceremonies$$$ dances$$$</br>Yet the movement of the hands in protecting the head is the same.</br>The body writhes$$$ jerks$$$ and tries to pull away</br>Its legs give out$$$ it falls$$$ the knees fly up$$$</br>It turns blue$$$ swells$$$ salivates$$$ and bleeds.</br>Nothing has changed.</br>Except of course for the course of boundaries$$$</br>The lines of forests$$$ coasts$$$ deserts$$$ and glaciers.</br>Amid these landscapes traipses the soul$$$</br>Disappears$$$ comes back$$$ draws nearer$$$ moves away$$$</br>Alien to itself$$$ elusive</br>At times certain$$$ at others uncertain of its own existence$$$</br>While the body is and is and is</br>And has no place of its own.
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