diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5e6b41a..d9f8167 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ note over Foo, Bar: "Foo and Bar
 on multiple lines"
 note between Foo, Bar: Link
 
+text right: 'Comments\nOver here!'
+
 state over Foo: Foo is ponderous
 ```
 
diff --git a/screenshots/NotesAndState.png b/screenshots/NotesAndState.png
index d6aa957..3743742 100644
Binary files a/screenshots/NotesAndState.png and b/screenshots/NotesAndState.png differ
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/Generator.js b/scripts/sequence/Generator.js
index d1bd32a..a3c2304 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/Generator.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/Generator.js
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ define(['core/ArrayUtilities'], (array) => {
 	const LOCKED_AGENT = new AgentState(false, true);
 	const DEFAULT_AGENT = new AgentState(false);
 
+	const NOTE_DEFAULT_AGENTS = {
+		'note over': ['[', ']'],
+		'note left': ['['],
+		'note right': [']'],
+	};
+
 	return class Generator {
 		constructor() {
 			this.agentStates = new Map();
@@ -24,6 +30,9 @@ define(['core/ArrayUtilities'], (array) => {
 			this.stageHandlers = {
 				'mark': this.handleMark.bind(this),
 				'async': this.handleAsync.bind(this),
+				'note over': this.handleNote.bind(this),
+				'note left': this.handleNote.bind(this),
+				'note right': this.handleNote.bind(this),
 				'agent define': this.handleAgentDefine.bind(this),
 				'agent begin': this.handleAgentBegin.bind(this),
 				'agent end': this.handleAgentEnd.bind(this),
@@ -131,6 +140,16 @@ define(['core/ArrayUtilities'], (array) => {
 			this.currentSection.stages.push(stage);
 		}
 
+		handleNote(stage) {
+			if(stage.agents.length === 0) {
+				this.handleUnknownStage(Object.assign({}, stage, {
+					agents: NOTE_DEFAULT_AGENTS[stage.type] || [],
+				}));
+			} else {
+				this.handleUnknownStage(stage);
+			}
+		}
+
 		handleAgentDefine({agents}) {
 			array.mergeSets(this.currentNest.agents, agents);
 			array.mergeSets(this.agents, agents);
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/Generator_spec.js b/scripts/sequence/Generator_spec.js
index 77bcc6f..ce1106b 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/Generator_spec.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/Generator_spec.js
@@ -481,6 +481,21 @@ defineDescribe('Sequence Generator', ['./Generator'], (Generator) => {
 			]})).toThrow();
 		});
 
+		it('defaults to showing notes around the entire diagram', () => {
+			const sequence = generator.generate({stages: [
+				{type: 'note right', agents: [], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note left', agents: [], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note over', agents: [], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note right', agents: ['[']},
+			]});
+			expect(sequence.stages).toEqual([
+				{type: 'note right', agents: [']'], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note left', agents: ['['], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note over', agents: ['[', ']'], foo: 'bar'},
+				{type: 'note right', agents: ['[']},
+			]);
+		});
+
 		it('rejects attempts to change implicit agents', () => {
 			expect(() => generator.generate({stages: [
 				{type: AGENT_BEGIN, agents: ['['], mode: 'box'},
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/Parser.js b/scripts/sequence/Parser.js
index 54a71aa..9d46689 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/Parser.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/Parser.js
@@ -49,12 +49,19 @@ define(['core/ArrayUtilities'], (array) => {
 	];
 
 	const NOTE_TYPES = {
+		'text': {
+			mode: 'text',
+			types: {
+				'left': {type: 'note left', skip: ['of'], min: 0, max: null},
+				'right': {type: 'note right', skip: ['of'], min: 0, max: null},
+			},
+		},
 		'note': {
 			mode: 'note',
 			types: {
-				'over': {type: 'note over', skip: [], min: 1, max: null},
-				'left': {type: 'note left', skip: ['of'], min: 1, max: null},
-				'right': {type: 'note right', skip: ['of'], min: 1, max: null},
+				'over': {type: 'note over', skip: [], min: 0, max: null},
+				'left': {type: 'note left', skip: ['of'], min: 0, max: null},
+				'right': {type: 'note right', skip: ['of'], min: 0, max: null},
 				'between': {type: 'note between', skip: [], min: 2, max: null},
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/Parser_spec.js b/scripts/sequence/Parser_spec.js
index 7a5467a..9e45cae 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/Parser_spec.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/Parser_spec.js
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ defineDescribe('Sequence Parser', ['./Parser'], (Parser) => {
 		});
 
 		it('rejects note between for a single agent', () => {
-			expect(() => parser.parse('state between A: hi')).toThrow();
+			expect(() => parser.parse('note between A: hi')).toThrow();
 		});
 
 		it('converts state', () => {
@@ -342,6 +342,16 @@ defineDescribe('Sequence Parser', ['./Parser'], (Parser) => {
 			expect(() => parser.parse('state over A, B: hi')).toThrow();
 		});
 
+		it('converts text blocks', () => {
+			const parsed = parser.parse('text right of A: doing stuff');
+			expect(parsed.stages).toEqual([{
+				type: 'note right',
+				agents: ['A'],
+				mode: 'text',
+				label: 'doing stuff',
+			}]);
+		});
+
 		it('converts agent commands', () => {
 			const parsed = parser.parse(
 				'define A, B\n' +
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/Renderer.js b/scripts/sequence/Renderer.js
index 02b76c9..a44b16b 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/Renderer.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/Renderer.js
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ define([
 			agents.forEach((agentR) => {
 				const infoR = this.agentInfos.get(agentR);
 				const sepR = agentSpaces.get(agentR) || SEP_ZERO;
+				infoR.maxRPad = Math.max(infoR.maxRPad, sepR.right);
+				infoR.maxLPad = Math.max(infoR.maxLPad, sepR.left);
 				agents.forEach((agentL) => {
 					const infoL = this.agentInfos.get(agentL);
 					if(infoL.index >= infoR.index) {
@@ -853,8 +855,6 @@ define([
 					}
 				});
 				agentInfo.x = currentX;
-				this.minX = Math.min(this.minX, currentX);
-				this.maxX = Math.max(this.maxX, currentX);
 				orderedInfos.push(agentInfo);
 			});
 
@@ -873,6 +873,11 @@ define([
 				});
 				agentInfo.x = currentX;
 			});
+
+			this.agentInfos.forEach(({label, x, maxRPad, maxLPad}) => {
+				this.minX = Math.min(this.minX, x - maxLPad);
+				this.maxX = Math.max(this.maxX, x + maxRPad);
+			});
 		}
 
 		buildAgentInfos(agents, stages) {
@@ -885,6 +890,8 @@ define([
 					x: null,
 					latestYStart: null,
 					latestY: 0,
+					maxRPad: 0,
+					maxLPad: 0,
 					separations: new Map(),
 				});
 			});
diff --git a/scripts/sequence/themes/Basic.js b/scripts/sequence/themes/Basic.js
index a40f2e1..917e634 100644
--- a/scripts/sequence/themes/Basic.js
+++ b/scripts/sequence/themes/Basic.js
@@ -178,6 +178,19 @@ define([
 		},
 
 		note: {
+			'text': {
+				margin: {top: 0, left: 2, right: 2, bottom: 0},
+				padding: {top: 2, left: 2, right: 2, bottom: 2},
+				overlap: {left: 10, right: 10},
+				boxRenderer: SVGShapes.renderBox.bind(null, {
+					'fill': '#FFFFFF',
+				}),
+				labelAttrs: {
+					'font-family': 'sans-serif',
+					'font-size': 8,
+					'line-height': LINE_HEIGHT,
+				},
+			},
 			'note': {
 				margin: {top: 0, left: 5, right: 5, bottom: 0},
 				padding: {top: 5, left: 5, right: 10, bottom: 5},