diff --git a/web/dom.lisp b/web/dom.lisp
index fdc2158..71a5556 100644
--- a/web/dom.lisp
+++ b/web/dom.lisp
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 (in-package :scopes/web/dom)
 
+;;;; basic / common stuff
+
 (defvar *output* nil)
 
 (defmacro render (&body body)
@@ -14,19 +16,28 @@
      ,@body
      (get-output-stream-string *output*)))
 
+(defmacro write-nested (start end &body body)
+  `(progn
+     (write-string ,start *output*)
+     ,@body
+     (write-line ,end *output*)))
+
+(defun write-simple (start end val)
+  (write-string start *output*)
+  (write-string val *output*)
+  (write-string end *output*))
+
+;;;; tag-specific renderers
+
 (defun dl (plist)
-  (write-string "<dl>" *output*)
-  (loop for r on plist by #'cddr do
-        (write-string "<dt>" *output*)
-        (write-string (string-downcase (car r)) *output*)
-        (write-string "</dt>" *output*)
-        (dd (cadr r)))
-  (write-line "</dl>" *output*))
+  (write-nested "<dl>" "</dl>"
+    (loop for (key val . r) on plist by #'cddr do
+      (write-simple "<dt>" "</dt>" (string-downcase key))
+      (dd val))))
 
 (defun dd (v)
   (if (atom v)
     (setf v (list v)))
   (dolist (el v)
-    (write-string "<dd>" *output*)
-    (write-string (string el) *output*)
-    (write-string "</dd>" *output*)))
+    (write-simple "<dd>" "</dd>" (string el))))
+