What is the default space between stanzas in the verse environment?

Question

I know that the original LaTeX verse environment is based on general LaTeX lists. In particular, the verse environment is defined as follows by the article class:

{\newenvironment{verse}
           {\let\\\@centercr
            \list{}{\itemsep      \z@
                    \itemindent   -1.5em%
                    \listparindent\itemindent
                    \rightmargin  \leftmargin
                    \advance\leftmargin 1.5em}%
            \item\relax}
           {\endlist}

I would like to know what is the default separation between stanzas in this verse environment. It appears to be \z@, but I don't know what that means. Or, is it \z@ + \parsep?

Here is how I use the verse environment, just in case it helps:

\documentclass[12pt,draft]{article}
\begin{document}

\begin{verse}
Thinking thought convolutes the brain \\
Because tomorrow comes too soon \\
When the squirrel sings doctor.

But maybe there be hope \\
In the middle of nowhere \\
When the sandman comes a-calling.
\end{verse}

\end{document}

Could you show you have create your verses and stanzas via an example? — Werner, Sep 03 '16 at 18:00

Peter Wilson · Answer 1 · 2016-09-03T18:01:03.253

2

I can't remember exactly, probably \parsep as \z@ is an internal command meaning 0pt.

In the verse package and the memoir class the separation between stanzas is controlled by the length \stanzaskip (effectively the distance between lines of text) which of course can be controlled by the user.

edited Sep 03 '16 at 18:01

answered Sep 03 '16 at 17:44

Peter Wilson

28,066

Werner · Answer 2 · 2016-09-05T04:53:55.590

The gap is given by \parsep (which is set to \parskip) which depends on the document class option:

10pt (default): 4pt plus 2pt minus 1pt
11pt: 4.5pt plus 2pt minus 1pt
12pt: 5pt plus 2.5pt minus 1pt

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[margin=1cm]{geometry}% Just for this example

\newcommand{\mrk}{\makebox[0pt][l]{\rule{\textwidth}{.4pt}}}
\begin{document}

\begin{minipage}{.4\linewidth}
\begin{verse}
\mrk Thinking thought convolutes the brain \\
\mrk Because tomorrow comes too soon \\
\mrk When the squirrel sings doctor.

\mrk But maybe there be hope \\
\mrk In the middle of nowhere \\
\mrk When the sandman comes a-calling.
\end{verse}
\end{minipage} \qquad
\begin{minipage}{.4\linewidth}
Thinking thought convolutes the brain \\
Because tomorrow comes too soon \\
When the squirrel sings doctor.

\vspace{4pt plus 2pt minus 1pt}
But maybe there be hope \\
In the middle of nowhere \\
When the sandman comes a-calling.
\end{minipage}

\end{document}

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:35

Based in the answer by Peter Wilson, based on the question referenced by Werner (What does \z@ do?) in one of comments to the question, and especially also on his answer, I am answering my own question. The answers thus far are a little incomplete, and I would like an answer that puts it all together. Hence, the answer:

From the code definition of verse, it is clear that \itemsep is set to \z@. Since \z@ is by definition equivalent to zero points, and since the vertical distance between two items in a general list (on which verse is based) is given by \itemsep + \parsep, it follows that the default verse distance between stanzas is \parsep. \parsep must then be initialized to be equal to \parskip, which is why Werner discovered the distance between stanzas was \parskip.

What is the default space between stanzas in the verse environment?

3 Answers3