diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 029af08..d202d55 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@
       (t:show-result))))
 
 (deftest test-util ()
-  (== (util:trunc "hello world" 5) "hello...")
-  (== (util:trunc "hello world" 11) "hello world")
   (== (util:to-keyword "hello-kitty") :hello-kitty))
 
 (deftest test-send ()
diff --git a/web/dom.lisp b/web/dom.lisp
index a8c896e..b0c762e 100644
--- a/web/dom.lisp
+++ b/web/dom.lisp
@@ -17,12 +17,11 @@
 
 (defclass element ()
   ((tag :reader tag :initarg :tag)
-   (attrs :reader attrs :initarg :attrs)
-   (body :reader body :initarg :body)))
+   (attrs :reader attrs :initarg :attrs :initform nil)
+   (body :reader body :initarg :body :initform nil)))
 
-(defun elem (tag attrs body)
-  (make-instance 'element :tag (string-downcase tag) 
-                 :attrs attrs :body body))
+(defun elem (tag &optional attrs body)
+  (make-instance 'element :tag tag :attrs attrs :body body))
 
 (defun element (tag attrs &rest body)
   (elem tag attrs body))
@@ -31,10 +30,13 @@
   (format stream "<~a ~s>~s" (tag el) (attrs el) (body el)))
 
 (defmethod put ((el element))
-  (start (tag el) (attrs el))
-  (dolist (c (body el))
-    (put c))
-  (end (tag el)))
+  (let ((tag (string-downcase (tag el)))
+        (body (body el)))
+    (start tag (attrs el) :close (not body))
+    (when body
+      (dolist (c body)
+        (put c))
+      (end tag))))
 
 ;;;; elements with specific functionality
 
@@ -58,6 +60,19 @@
       (put el))
     (get-output-stream-string *output*)))
 
+(defun start (tag attrs &key close)
+  (put-char #\<)
+  (put-string tag)
+  (put-attrs attrs)
+  (if close
+    (put-char #\/))
+  (put-char #\>))
+
+(defun end (tag)
+  (put-string "</")
+  (put-string tag)
+  (put-char #\>))
+
 (defun put-string (s)
   (write-string s *output*))
 
@@ -79,17 +94,6 @@
     ((:id :class) (util:to-string val :lower-case t))
     (t (util:to-string val))))
 
-(defun start (tag &optional attrs)
-  (put-char #\<)
-  (put-string tag)
-  (put-attrs attrs)
-  (put-char #\>))
-
-(defun end (tag)
-  (put-string "</")
-  (put-string tag)
-  (put-char #\>))
-
 (defun newline ()
   (put-char #\Newline))