ANNA ROSA POTENZA  docente di Materie letterarie, scrittrice e pittrice salentina, nata a Taurisano, provincia di Lecce, è presidente dell’associazione culturale Salento: arte, musica, poesia 2004, che opera nel territorio locale e nazionale, con la presentazione di concerti, di libri, di mostre d’arte, ecc.  Ha pubblicato:

·        Guida del centro storico di Taurisano. (A guide of Taurisano and its historical centre) Grafierre, Taurisano (LE),1999

·        Leuca, una perla ai confini della terra, Ed.Leucasia, Presicce 2004

·        Nel nome dell’amore, Grafierre , Taurisano 2004

·        La leggenda di Leucàsia sirena di Leuca, Grafierre 2005

Nel campo della pittura ha partecipato a mostre e rassegne d’arte contemporanea varie presso la Galleria Forum Interart di Roma e collabora con quotidiani e periodici locali e nazionali, dove ha pubblicato numerosi articoli e recensioni critiche di carattere letterario.

Once upon a time, in the extreme part of Italy’s heel, at land’s

end, lived a beautiful maiden called Leucasia.

Nature had gifted her of a so divine voice that it passed through hearts

and enchanted whoever could listen it. All the Olympus gods followed

the progresses of that determinate and enterprising maiden.

Athena was very proud of her, while Aphrodite, a little by envious

preferred to ignore her; Poseidon, instead, was so madly in love with

her that when he saw her appear from the sea he, immediately, ordered

to the waves to be calm and to sweetly lull her.In the meanwhile,

Leucasia’s fame arrived at ears of Crete’s King, Melisseo, who, just

when he looked at her, fell madly in love with her.

This lead Poseidon to be so angry that, in his terrible jealousy, revenged

on Melisseo letting the horrible drake Ristòs to be free from earth’s

depths. He attached the young Cretan King’s boat and deathly Kill him

with his poisonous crest. Swimming at breakneck, Leucasia reached

Melisseo asking for Athena’s help who petrified the monster but she

couldn’t save Melisseo. So, Leucasia gently laid her King’s body down

the Japigio Promontory, among the white rocks that opened to preserve

the body ever and ever. But Leucasia didn’t give up to her wish to come

Melisseo into life again and, with tenaciousness and courage, decided

to go down the Hell’s Kingdom. But Poseidon to prevent the two lovings

from being together again, Kidnapped Leucasia to led her in the abysses

of his Kingdom.

Once again, Athena helped Leucasia turning her in a splendid mermaid.

Since then, the beautiful mermaid carried on to sing the memory of

Melisseo. And the moved inhabitants of that place called their village

Leuca; the promontory of the petrified monster, Punta Ristola and the

end of Japigio Promontory, Punta Meliso, in honour of the Cretan King.

Someone says that, in the first full moon of September a rivulet of gold

blood flow out the Rock while a soft voice call Leucasia again and again.

And a strange being, similar to a fish, usually at sunset appears but

suddenly disappears among the sea waves. It’s Leucasia who, still today,

sings the agonizing melodies of her lost love.

LOVE SONG OF LEUCASIA AND MELISSEO

MELISSEO

 - Leucasia,

Sea creature

Siren likewoman

Sing for me

In the rain of so much pain

In the starry moon night

The melancholy and sweetness

Of your lost love.

One more full Moon, One more Spring

Is waiting for us

A backing summer in your

embracing arms

in the wind coming from the Sea

while swiftly life seasons are passing by.

Before the daylight

LEUCASIA - I’ ll run to you

clear as the stream stone

Washed in the small river

of your weeping For embracing

yor again

MELISSEO - My dear shining star

Plunging into the Sea

I’ll be waiting for you.

For a long time i’ll be looking

forward to see you again

Just for one night

And the first Dawn lights

which tear you away from my arms

no more I want to see.

LEUCASIA - In the depth of your soul

In the deep bluesky eyes

I’ll always get to you.

MELISSEO - My sigh in your voice will stay

And your song will become My Universe

Forever…beyond the Death.