The first verse has been recited in Scotland’s international poetry festival, which has brought wordsmiths from around the world to Fife.
StAnza will see scores of events by dozens of poets and other artists over five days in venues across St Andrews, including a medieval undercroft.
It was launched by headline act children’s fantasy writer Jane Yolan and poet-in-residence Harry Man.
Fife singer-songwriter James Yorkston opened the festival with a performance in collaboration with Scottish National Jazz Orchestra director Tommy Smith, his group Karma and acclaimed Shetlandic poet and Edinburgh Makar, Christine De Luca.
Director Eleanor Livingstone said: “Once again we have strived to create a programme which embraces the wonderful diversity of the spoken word.
“This year’s ambitious programme demonstrates the incredible talent within the poetry world.
“Our line-up is a vibrant and exciting mix of performance poets and artists.”
Other headline acts include Costa Poetry Award winner Don Paterson, Andrew McMillan, Jo Bell, Lemn Sissay, Pascale Petit, Sean O’Brien, Brian Johnstone and John Burnside.
From Germany comes Nora Gomringer, alongside Swedish poet Aase Berg, Thomas Lynch from the USA and Australian Sarah Holland-Batt.
The festival has two themes; the Body of Poetry, exploring how poetry engages with the human body, and City Lines, which focuses on architecture for Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
StAnza is supported by VisitScotland whose director of events, Paul Bush, said: “StAnza promises to be a fantastic event, showcasing the very best of both local and international poetic talent.
“In 2016, the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, it is also fitting that the festival will include exhibitions and events focusing on architecture as part of its exciting programme.”
Highlights include a HashtagPoetry#, StAnza’s first festival exhibition on Instagram and A Potter A Painter and A Poet, a exhibition of the collaboration between artists Paul Tebble and Anne Gilchrist and poet Elizabeth Burns, who died in August last year.
The oldest and most atmospheric venue is the undercroft of St John’s House, a medieval barrel vaulted cellar.