by Carlin Keally

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We were supposed to be marble
Unshakeable ink and
Aged pages outnumbered
Not graphite sketched
Checks in paper boxes
And No. 2 pencil disqualifications

We were supposed to be glory
Tight spires out of books and
Lessons no more needed
As history was over and
Time was nothing.

It’s no good writing an empire
With blood ink
It dries faster
Burns quicker
And our dust blows
Just the same as Rome’s.

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Carlin Keally served as an Armor officer for five years in the U.S. Army. One of the first women to serve on tanks, she has used her experiences to influence her writing. She graduated from Georgetown University in 2018 with a degree in Arabic and Theology. During her service, she earned a Masters from Harvard Extension School in Religion. She is now working on her MSc in Social Anthropology of Religion at the London School of Economics with her husband and son. She has been published on Inkstick and Army Mad Scientist among other publications. She currently publishes serial fiction at https://legendsoficaria.wixsite.com. She is grateful for her time in service and always looking for the next adventure.

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