"Augusta's Mercy"

Here is the first page to my eight-page epic medieval long poem, titled "Augusta's Mercy". This poem is a classic rendition of heroic storytelling with archetypal medieval tropes, such as the hero's journey, sword action, and the chivalric code, except with a twist–the protagonist knight is a woman! The poem revolves around Augusta Wells, a woman knight seeking to prove herself in a man's world. In "Augusta's Mercy", you'll find a kingdom long-blooded by a legendary war, the remnants of its tragedies, adventures that turn into lessons on womanhood, and a woman knight who changes the trajectory of fate for those who need it the most. Set around 1700s of England, the leaders of new England–called the Fifth Crowned Dynasty of Aerelon–is disrupted by the Mad Thief, who pillages the houses of the King's companions. It sets forth a quest for Augusta Wells to prove her worth. This poem extracts its inspiration from Havelok the Dane, and was written in response to the absence of Goldeboru's side of her story, despite suffering from the same fate as Havelok. I wanted to center the idea of womanhood and provide a non-traditional (as it would be of its time), representation of women, alongside reminding readers that despite the feminist character Augusta is, the world is still controlled and dominated by men. By doing so, I hoped to show how greatly women excel against all odds. Havelok the Dane also concerned itself with ordinary people and those most marginalized who are usually on the outsets of heroic tales, and thus I incorporated that aspect into my poem. Below, you'll find a medieval-inspired page from the poem, and the book cover I made - enjoy!

Sonya Ma