\version "2.18.2"

\include "english.ly"

rightBrace = \markup { \null \translate #(cons 2 0.5) 
             \with-dimensions #(cons 0 0) #(cons 0 0) \right-brace #55 }
leftBrace = \markup { \null \translate #(cons 1 0.5) 
            \with-dimensions #(cons 0 0) #(cons 0 0) \left-brace #55 }

downwards = #(cons 0 -4)
dropLyrics =
{
  \override LyricText.extra-offset = #downwards
  \override LyricHyphen.extra-offset = #downwards
  \override LyricExtender.extra-offset = #downwards
}
dropStanzaN = \override StanzaNumber.extra-offset = #downwards

raiseLyrics =
{
  \revert LyricText.extra-offset
  \revert LyricHyphen.extra-offset
  \revert LyricExtender.extra-offset
}
raiseStanzaN = \revert StanzaNumber.extra-offset 

skipFour = \repeat unfold 4 { \skip 8 }

lyricsA = \lyricmode { 
  The first verse has 
  \dropLyrics \dropStanzaN
  \set stanza =  \rightBrace
  the com -- mon words 
  \set stanza = \leftBrace
  \raiseLyrics 
  used 
  \raiseStanzaN 
  in all four. 
}
lyricsB = \lyricmode { In stan -- za two, \skipFour al -- so ap-- pear. }
lyricsC = \lyricmode { By the third verse, \skipFour are get -- ting dull. }
lyricsD = \lyricmode { Last stan -- za, and \skipFour get used once more. }

melody = \relative c' { c4 d e f g f e8( e f) d4 c e d c }

\score
{
  <<
    \new Voice = m \melody
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto m \lyricsA
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto m \lyricsB
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto m \lyricsC
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto m \lyricsD
  >>
}