This section covers poetry written in prose, rhyme, and other configurations. It also covers lyrics written without musical notation, and the use of punctuation and shape as a poetic device. (See Formats, §15.5, Line-Numbered Poetry and §15.7, Poetic Rhyme Scheme.)

A Braille Reader's Perspective. Centering poetry in print is visually attractive. This material is often centered on the page as well as on the line. In braille, the material must first be found. Moving the material to the margin in effect helps to identify the basic form of the poetry by the use of margins.

Follow print when poetry is embedded within narrative text.

a.  Retain font attributes.

b.  Follow print use for either a slash or vertical line to indicate where one poetic line ends and another begins.

c.  Follow print for spacing of symbols, which may begin or end a braille line. Identify the use of the symbols on the Special Symbols page, or in a transcriber's note before the text.

Example 13-1: Poetic Lines within Narrative Text

The indention pattern is based on the entire poem. The main entry begins in cell 1. Each subentry level begins two cells to the right of the previous level. All runovers begin two cells to the right of the farthest indented level.

One level: 1-3
Two levels: 1-5, 3-5
Three levels: 1-7, 3-7, 5-7
Four levels: 1-9, 3-9, 5-9, 7-9
etc.

a.  Leave a blank line before and after a poem. Exceptions: Do not insert a blank line between a cell-5 or cell-7 heading and the poem to which it applies. Do not insert a blank line between a cell-5 heading entry word and a poem in a glossary.

b.  A line of poetry may not be divided between braille pages.

Example 13-2: Poem with One Level

Example 13-3: Three-Level Poem

c.  Poems that are centered on the print page use 1-3 margins or are treated as displayed material and use the margin in effect. (See Sample 13-1: Centered Poem on page 13-13.)

d.  Use normal poetry indention when print is deeply indented.

Example 13-4: Poem with Deep Indention

Stanzas are difficult to determine at a print page break when a poem does not have the same number of lines in each stanza. Do not insert a blank line if it is not clear that there is a new stanza at the page break.

a.  Leave a blank line before each stanza or verse.

b.  Use cell-5 headings for stanza numbers.

c.  When a stanza begins at the top of a print page within a braille page, insert the page change indicator and leave one blank line before beginning the stanza.

d.  Leave a blank line at the top of the next braille page when a stanza ends on line 24 or 25 of the previous page. Start the new stanza on line 2 when a running head is not used, or line 3 when a running head is used.

(See Sample 13-2: Poem with Stanza Numbers on page 13-14.)

Stanza Division. When a page break would occur following the first line of a stanza, take the entire stanza to the next braille page.

A shape poem is one that has its lines arranged to represent the shape of an object or to suggest action, motion, mood, or feeling. When it is important to show the poem's shape or spatial style add a description in a transcriber's note, or provide a tactile graphic.

Poetic lines are not always easy to determine in some shape poems. Use punctuation and change of thought as a guide. (See Sample 13-3: Shape Poem on page 13-16.)

Use normal poetry format when the indentions of irregular lines of poetry form a discernible pattern. (See Sample
13-4: Poem with Discernible Lines of Poetry on page 13-17.)

Treat the poem as a single level, using 1-3 margins, when the indentions of irregular lines of poetry have no discernible pattern or the poem uses uneven spacing. Some poems may need a transcriber's note of explanation. Sample:

The poem has inconsistent indention patterns, which are not reproduced.

or

The poem has multiple irregular indentions, which are not reproduced.

Use three blank cells to separate widely spaced words or phrases. Explain the blank cells in a transcriber's note. Sample:

Three blank cells indicate wide spacing.

(See Sample 13-5: Poem with Uneven Indention and Wide Spacing on page 13-18.)

When unusual combinations of punctuation marks and letters might create difficult reading:

a.  Use uncontracted braille. Use the grade 1 passage indicator and terminator around the entire poem. (See UEB, §5.4, Grade 1 Passage Indicator and §5.5, Grade 1 Terminator.)

b.  Insert a transcriber's note to explain the use of uncontracted braille. Sample:

This poem has unusual letter and punctuation combinations. Braille is uncontracted so punctuation can be identified easily.

(See Sample 13-6: Embedded Punctuation in an Uncontracted Poem on page 13-20.)

Prose poetry is ordinary speech or writing without rhyme or meter. It is written in a narrative format that does not follow the normal rules for writing poetry.

a.  Precede and follow a prose poem with blank lines.

b.  Follow print for paragraph indention.

c.  Ignore font attributes except where they are required for emphasis or distinction.

(See Sample 13-7: Prose Poem on page 13-21.)

Transcribe references in poetry at the bottom of the print page, separated from the poetry by a note separation line. (See Formats, §16, Notes.)

Leave a blank between the end of a stanza, or the end of a poem, and the note separation line.

(See Sample 13-8: Poem with Reference Marks on page 13-22.)

Scansion is the analysis of a poem's meter, and the marking of the stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. There are a variety of print symbols used for marking scansion, stress, and meter. Use the following guidelines when structuring documents with different print symbols than those used here.

Follow print for symbols and terminology when identifying stress symbols on the Special Symbols page, or in a transcriber's note before the text. (See UEB, §4, Letters and Their Modifiers and §15.2, Stress.)

Transcribe a poem that contains stress, scansion, or meter marks twice. Place the two versions on a single braille page if possible. The first version should include the title and author or other attribution.

a.  Use contracted braille in the first version; do not show scansion, accented letter(s), meter, or emphasis that indicates stress.

b.  Leave a blank line between the first and second versions.

c.  To help offset the second writing, transcribe the second version using cell 3 for the left margin and the standard nested list format.

d.  Transcribe the second version in uncontracted braille. Show all typeform, scansion, stress, and meter symbols.

e.  Follow print when stress and meter symbols are placed above the affected words. The symbols are placed above the first letter of the syllable to which they apply. To accommodate room for one-letter syllables immediately followed by another syllable, it is permissible to place the stress or meter symbol over the space or capital indicator which precedes the word.

f.  Blank lines are required preceding and following each line of the poem.

Example 13-5: Diagrammed Scansion with Ictus (Slash) and X

g.  Explain the two writings on the Transcriber's Notes page when there are multiple locations in the volume that use this technique. If the technique is used in a single location in the volume, explain the usage in a transcriber's note before the text. Sample:

The text is first shown without stress symbols, and then repeated with the appropriate symbols and no contractions. Stress symbols are inserted above the syllable to which they apply. Symbols used:

.=_/    Stressed syllable
.=x       Unstressed syllable

(See Sample 13-9: Lines of Poetry with Stress Marks on page 13-23.)

Meter. Each section between the slashes or vertical lines is a foot. Foot division can appear within a word. The meter is the number of feet in a line. A caesura indicates a long pause in the middle of a line.

a.  These symbols are used to represent the signs indicating meter or rhythmic pattern of poetic lines. Follow print spacing of symbols and punctuation.

b.  Identify meter symbols on the Special Symbols page or in a transcriber's note before the text. Use the names given in print (if any) when identifying the symbols for these signs. The foot is usually the solidus or vertical line (pipe). The caesura is usually the double solidus or double vertical line.

/     _/       Solidus (foot)
//    _/_/   Double solidus (caesura)
|     _\       Vertical line (pipe)
||    _\_\   Double vertical line

c.  The foot and caesura symbols may begin or end a braille line when it is necessary to divide a line between braille lines. Exception: Do not break a line at a meter symbol when it is unspaced within a word.

d.  A line break may not occur within a foot, e.g., between the vertical lines.

e.  Contractions are not used in the second writing when some words are syllabified, and metered lines show only foot and/or caesura symbols. Contractions are used in the second writing when all words are not syllabified, and metered lines show only foot and/or caesura symbols.

f.  Titles and authors are shown with the first writing. Titles/authors are only included with the second writings if they include symbols of scansion, accent/stress, or meter.

g.  Attributions are shown with the first writing of the material and omitted in the second writing.

(See Sample 13-10: Attribution with First Writing on page 13-24 and Sample 13-11: Sentences with Foot and Caesura Symbols on page 13-25.)

Example 13-6: Word with Unspaced Internal Foot

(See Sample 13-12: Lines of Poetry with Stress and Meter on page 13-26.)

Diagrammed Scansion and Meter. Follow print for spacing and punctuation of scansion and meter symbols when the text shows only a diagram consisting of accent/stress and meter signs with no lines of poetry. Use 1-3 margins for each diagrammed line.

Example 13-7: Diagrammed Scansion and Meter

Many sponsoring religious agencies have established specific formats and guidelines for the transcription of hymnals and songbooks, both with and without music. General directives are provided below for transcribing songs or hymns that appear in nonreligious materials.

Lyrics without Music Notation. Use 1-3 margins.

Lyrics with Music Notation. Follow the rules provided in the Music Braille Code when transcribing music notation, as well as any lyrics shown with that notation.

Music notation may be omitted when lyrics of a song or hymn are accompanied by music notation for illustrative purposes only, and there is no intention for that notation to be used for practice or performance. Insert a transcriber's note to explain this omission. Transcribe the lyrics as directed below.

Center the title or number of each hymn (both, if shown in print). Titles or numbers may be placed on line 1 unless a running head is used.

Information below the title.

a.  Block permission-to-copy notices in the fifth cell to the right of the material to which they apply, on the line after the title or heading. (See Formats, §9.5, Source Citations and Permission to Copy.)

b.  Leave a blank line following the title. List the information printed between the title and the song in the following order:

(1) Text centered below the title.

(2) Text printed on the left side of the page.

(3) Text printed on the right side of the page.

Use 7-5 margins for each item; do not leave blank lines between these items. Do leave a blank line before the beginning of the first verse. (See Sample 13-13: Song Title with Additional Information on page 13-28.)

When it is not possible to include the title or number (with any accompanying information) and at least one braille line of the first verse at the end of a page, begin the song or hymn on a new braille page.

Songs with Verses

a.  Transcribe verse numbers as cell-5 headings.

b.  Follow print for capitalization and punctuation of the verses.

c.  Omit hyphens that are printed between syllables unless they are intended to be part of the word.

d.  Use 1-3 margins for each line of the lyric. Use punctuation and rhyme scheme to determine each line of the lyric.

e.  When text shows the lyrics of the first verse—or any portion of a song or hymn—printed within the music notation and followed by the remaining verses printed in poetry format, the same format is used for all the verses. (See Sample 13-14: Song with Verses on page 13-29.)

f.  Follow print if the refrain or chorus is repeated.

g.  Follow print if only the word "refrain" or "chorus" indicates the repetition.

Sample 13-1: Centered Poem

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Sample 13-2: Poem with Stanza Numbers

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Sample 13-3: Shape Poem

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Sample 13-4: Poem with Discernible Lines of Poetry

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Sample 13-5: Poem with Uneven Indention and Wide Spacing

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Sample 13-6: Embedded Punctuation in an Uncontracted Poem

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Sample 13-7: Prose Poem

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Sample 13-8: Poem with Reference Marks

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Sample 13-9: Lines of Poetry with Stress Marks

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Sample 13-10: Attribution with First Writing

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Sample 13-11: Sentences with Foot and Caesura Symbols

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Sample 13-12: Lines of Poetry with Stress and Meter

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Sample 13-13: Song Title with Additional Information

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Sample 13-14: Song with Verses

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