%%% MIGHT AS WELL PUT THIS INTO AN INCLUDE FILE
#(define dashlength 10)
#(define dashindent 2)
#(define dashthickness 0.17)

lineSep =
#(define-music-function (lyr) (ly:music?)
   #{
\new Lyrics \with { 
    \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = #CENTER
    clefPosition = 0
    \override Clef.X-offset = #dashindent
    \override Clef.X-extent = #'(0 . 0)
    \override Clef.stencil = #(lambda (grob) (make-line-stencil dashthickness 0 0 dashlength 0))
    \override VerticalAxisGroup.nonstaff-nonstaff-spacing = #'((basic-distance . 0)
                                                               (minimum-distance . 0)
                                                               (padding . 0.5))
    \consists "Bar_engraver"
    \override BarLine.stencil = ##f
    \consists "Clef_engraver"
    \remove "Extender_engraver"
    \remove "Hyphen_engraver"
    \remove "Stanza_number_engraver"
    \remove "Instrument_name_engraver"
    \remove "Font_size_engraver"
    \override LyricText.stencil = ##f
} $lyr
   #})

adjustLyricsAboveSeparator = \with {
  \override VerticalAxisGroup.nonstaff-nonstaff-spacing = #'((basic-distance . 0)
                                                             (minimum-distance . 0)
                                                             (padding . 0.5))
}
%%%


StanzaOne = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "1"  
  This is an ex -- am -- ple
}

StanzaTwo = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "2"
  to show -- case the lyr -- ics
}

StanzaThree = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "3"
  dash __ _ se -- pa -- ra -- tion
}

StanzaFour = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "4" 
  mech --  an -- _ _ _ nics
}


\language "english"

Soprano = \relative c' {
  \time 2/4
  \repeat unfold 3 {a' a\break }
  \bar "|."
}

\score 
{
  <<
    \new Staff 
    <<
      \clef "treble"
      \new Voice = "SopranoVoice" \Soprano 
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto SopranoVoice \StanzaOne
      \new Lyrics = "lyricsmiddle" \with \adjustLyricsAboveSeparator \lyricsto SopranoVoice \StanzaTwo
      \lineSep \StanzaOne
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto SopranoVoice \StanzaThree
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto SopranoVoice \StanzaFour
    >>
    \new Staff 
    <<
      \clef "bass"
    >>
  >>
}