% by wolfgang

\definelines[verse][before={\blank[3*line]},after={\blank[3*line]}]

\starttext

line 1

\startlines
line 2
line 3
\stoplines

line 4

\startverse
line 5
line 6
\stopverse

line 7

\startlines
line 8
line 9
\stoplines

\stoptext
