Inconsistent Line Spacing When Changing the Font Size in a Verse Environment

Question

I have noticed that when I want to change the font size in a verse environment from the default, the spacing between the last two lines in a stanza is adversely affected.

For example, in the following code, I have set \large as the document default size; however, when I change the default font size to a larger one, say \Large, the space between the last two lines in a stanza is increased over that of the others. On the other hand, when I opt for a smaller font size, say \small, the opposite happens.

Here's a MWE:

\documentclass{book}
\begin{document}
\thispagestyle{empty}
\large
\begin{verse}
\begin{Large}
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
\end{Large}
\end{verse}
\vskip 25pt
\begin{verse}
\begin{small}
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
\end{small}
\end{verse}
\vskip 20pt
\begin{center}
\begin{verse}
\begin{small}
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
\end{small}
\end{verse}
\end{center}
\end{document}

with output:

Finally, I would like to be able to center the stanzas, but \begin{center} ; \end{center} as you can see, doesn't work. Also, trying to force the stanza over to the right with, say, \hskip 25pt, doesn't work either.

QUESTION: Does anyone know what is causing the strange spacing behavior previously noted; and, how may one center a stanza in a verse environment?

Thank you.

simpler just to use \small if you use \begin{small}...\end{small} leave a blank line before teh end or the font size changes before the paragragraph ends, so you get small text on normal baseline — David Carlisle, Mar 18 '21 at 19:47
duplicate of https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/36454/inconsistent-line-spacing/36459#36459 for example — David Carlisle, Mar 18 '21 at 19:48
@David Carlisle Thank you for your comments. Would you know how to center the stanzas? — DDS, Mar 18 '21 at 20:04
you could put them in a minipage and center that or if you want to centre on longest line use a \begin{tabular}{l} rather than verse and center that, — David Carlisle, Mar 18 '21 at 20:20
@David Carlisle Thank you. I might try the tabular suggestion; centering the minipage unfortunately centers each line so that the stanza effect is not the same. — DDS, Mar 18 '21 at 20:48
if you have a center outside the minipage and a verse inside the individual lines should not be centred — David Carlisle, Mar 18 '21 at 20:50
Take a look at the verse package which provides a variety of ways for formatting verses, including centering them. — Peter Wilson, Mar 19 '21 at 18:54
@Peter Wilson Yes; thank you. I did discover yesterday that I could manually force a center with, say, \begin{verse}[#em] ... \end{verse}, but I was unaware that one could center the stanza directly using that package. Thank you for posting your answer. — DDS, Mar 19 '21 at 21:16

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 19 '21 at 19:33

Do not use \begin{Large} ... \end{Large} just simmply \Large and similarly for your other font size changes. The verse package lets you center verses as well as other useful things.

% verseprob.tex  SE 587976
\documentclass{book}
\usepackage{verse}
\begin{document}
\thispagestyle{empty}
\large
\begin{verse}
%\begin{Large}
\Large
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
%\end{Large}
\end{verse}
\vskip 25pt
\begin{verse}
%\begin{small}
\small
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
%\end{small}
\end{verse}
\vskip 20pt
\begin{center}
\begin{verse}
\begin{small}
{\texttt{This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza \
This is a line in a stanza \
\hskip 15pt This is a line in a stanza.}}
\end{small}
\end{verse}
\end{center}
%%%% with the verse package
\settowidth{\versewidth}{But now my love is dead}
\poemtitle{Loves's lost}
\begin{verse}[\versewidth]
\begin{altverse}
I used to love my garden \
But now my love is dead \
For I found a batchelor's button \
In Black-eyed Susan's bed.
\end{altverse}
\end{verse}
\end{document}

Inconsistent Line Spacing When Changing the Font Size in a Verse Environment

1 Answers1