diff --git a/containers.lua b/containers.lua
index 8063252..ed0825e 100644
--- a/containers.lua
+++ b/containers.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ do
   local _obj_0 = require('utils')
   repr, stringify, equivalent, nth_to_last, size = _obj_0.repr, _obj_0.stringify, _obj_0.equivalent, _obj_0.nth_to_last, _obj_0.size
 end
+local lpeg = require('lpeg')
+local re = require('re')
 local List, Dict
 local _list_mt = {
   __eq = equivalent,
@@ -90,6 +92,30 @@ local _list_mt = {
     _1_nd_to_last = nth_to_last,
     _1_rd_to_last = nth_to_last,
     _1_th_to_last = nth_to_last,
+    joined = function(self)
+      return table.concat((function()
+        local _accum_0 = { }
+        local _len_0 = 1
+        for _index_0 = 1, #self do
+          local x = self[_index_0]
+          _accum_0[_len_0] = tostring(x)
+          _len_0 = _len_0 + 1
+        end
+        return _accum_0
+      end)())
+    end,
+    joined_with_1 = function(self, glue)
+      return table.concat((function()
+        local _accum_0 = { }
+        local _len_0 = 1
+        for _index_0 = 1, #self do
+          local x = self[_index_0]
+          _accum_0[_len_0] = tostring(x)
+          _len_0 = _len_0 + 1
+        end
+        return _accum_0
+      end)(), glue)
+    end,
     has_1 = function(self, item)
       for _index_0 = 1, #self do
         local x = self[_index_0]
@@ -238,7 +264,146 @@ for i, entry in ipairs(Dict({
 })) do
   assert(i == 1 and entry.key == "x" and entry.value == 99, "ipairs compatibility issue")
 end
+local Text
+do
+  local reverse, upper, lower, find, byte, match, gmatch, gsub, sub, format, rep
+  do
+    local _obj_0 = string
+    reverse, upper, lower, find, byte, match, gmatch, gsub, sub, format, rep = _obj_0.reverse, _obj_0.upper, _obj_0.lower, _obj_0.find, _obj_0.byte, _obj_0.match, _obj_0.gmatch, _obj_0.gsub, _obj_0.sub, _obj_0.format, _obj_0.rep
+  end
+  local as_lua_id
+  as_lua_id = function(str)
+    str = gsub(str, "^\3*$", "%1\3")
+    str = gsub(str, "x([0-9A-F][0-9A-F])", "x78%1")
+    str = gsub(str, "%W", function(c)
+      if c == ' ' then
+        return '_'
+      else
+        return format("x%02X", byte(c))
+      end
+    end)
+    str = gsub(str, "^_*%d", "_%1")
+    return str
+  end
+  local line_matcher = re.compile([[ 
+        lines <- {| line (%nl line)* |}
+        line <- {(!%nl .)*}
+    ]], {
+    nl = lpeg.P("\r") ^ -1 * lpeg.P("\n")
+  })
+  local text_methods = {
+    reversed = function(self)
+      return reverse(tostring(self))
+    end,
+    uppercase = function(self)
+      return upper(tostring(self))
+    end,
+    lowercase = function(self)
+      return lower(tostring(self))
+    end,
+    as_lua_id = function(self)
+      return as_lua_id(tostring(self))
+    end,
+    formatted_with_1 = function(self, args)
+      return format(tostring(self), unpack(args))
+    end,
+    byte_1 = function(self, i)
+      return byte(tostring(self), i)
+    end,
+    position_of_1 = function(self)
+      return find(tostring(self))
+    end,
+    position_of_1_after_2 = function(self, i)
+      return find(tostring(self), i)
+    end,
+    bytes_1_to_2 = function(self, start, stop)
+      return List({
+        byte(tostring(self), start, stop)
+      })
+    end,
+    bytes = function(self)
+      return List({
+        byte(tostring(self), 1, #self)
+      })
+    end,
+    capitalized = function(self)
+      return gsub(tostring(self), '%l', upper, 1)
+    end,
+    lines = function(self)
+      return List(line_matcher:match(self))
+    end,
+    matches_1 = function(self, patt)
+      return match(tostring(self), patt) and true or false
+    end,
+    [as_lua_id("* 1")] = function(self, n)
+      return rep(self, n)
+    end,
+    matching_1 = function(self, patt)
+      local result = { }
+      local stepper, x, i = gmatch(tostring(self), patt)
+      while true do
+        local tmp = List({
+          stepper(x, i)
+        })
+        if #tmp == 0 then
+          break
+        end
+        i = tmp[1]
+        result[#result + 1] = tmp
+      end
+      return List(result)
+    end,
+    [as_lua_id("with 1 -> 2")] = function(self, patt, sub)
+      return gsub(tostring(self), patt, sub)
+    end,
+    _coalesce = function(self)
+      if rawlen(self) > 1 then
+        local s = table.concat(self)
+        for i = rawlen(self), 2, -1 do
+          self[i] = nil
+        end
+        self[1] = s
+      end
+      return self
+    end
+  }
+  setmetatable(text_methods, {
+    __index = string
+  })
+  getmetatable("").__index = function(self, i)
+    if type(i) == 'number' then
+      return sub(self, i, i)
+    elseif type(i) == 'table' then
+      return sub(self, i[1], i[2])
+    else
+      return text_methods[i]
+    end
+  end
+  assert(("abc"):matches_1("ab"))
+  local _ = [==[    text_metatable =
+        __mul: (other)=>
+            assert(type(other) == 'number', "Invalid type for multiplication")
+            return rep(@, other)
+        __index: (i)=>
+            -- Use [] for accessing text characters, or s[{3,4}] for s:sub(3,4)
+            if type(i) == 'number' then return sub(@, i, i)
+            elseif type(i) == 'table' then return sub(@, i[1], i[2])
+            else return text_methods[i]
+        __tostring: => @_coalesce![1]
+        __len: => #tostring(@)
+        __concat: (other)=> tostring(@), tostring(other)
+        __len: => #tostring(@)
+        __eq: (other)=>
+            type(@) == type(other) and getmetatable(@) == getmetatable(other) and tostring(@) == tostring(other)
+        __lt: (other)=> tostring(@) < tostring(other)
+        __le: (other)=> tostring(@) <= tostring(other)
+        __newindex: => error("Cannot modify Text")
+
+    Text = (s)-> setmetatable(s, text_metatable)
+        ]==]
+end
 return {
   List = List,
-  Dict = Dict
+  Dict = Dict,
+  Text = Text
 }
diff --git a/containers.moon b/containers.moon
index 68c618b..a9f6857 100644
--- a/containers.moon
+++ b/containers.moon
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 {:insert,:remove,:concat} = table
 {:repr, :stringify, :equivalent, :nth_to_last, :size} = require 'utils'
+lpeg = require 'lpeg'
+re = require 're'
 
 local List, Dict
 
@@ -41,6 +43,9 @@ _list_mt =
         last: (=> @[#@]), first: (=> @[1])
         _1_st_to_last:nth_to_last, _1_nd_to_last:nth_to_last
         _1_rd_to_last:nth_to_last, _1_th_to_last:nth_to_last
+        -- TODO: use stringify() to allow joining misc. objects?
+        joined: => table.concat([tostring(x) for x in *@]),
+        joined_with_1: (glue)=> table.concat([tostring(x) for x in *@], glue),
         has_1: (item)=>
             for x in *@
                 if x == item
@@ -101,4 +106,98 @@ Dict = (t)-> setmetatable(t, _dict_mt)
 for i,entry in ipairs(Dict({x:99}))
     assert(i == 1 and entry.key == "x" and entry.value == 99, "ipairs compatibility issue")
 
-return {:List, :Dict}
+local Text
+do
+    {:reverse, :upper, :lower, :find, :byte, :match, :gmatch, :gsub, :sub, :format, :rep} = string
+
+    -- Convert an arbitrary text into a valid Lua identifier. This function is injective,
+    -- but not idempotent, i.e. if (x != y) then (as_lua_id(x) != as_lua_id(y)),
+    -- but as_lua_id(x) is not necessarily equal to as_lua_id(as_lua_id(x))
+    as_lua_id = (str)->
+        -- Empty strings are not valid lua identifiers, so treat them like "\3",
+        -- and treat "\3" as "\3\3", etc. to preserve injectivity.
+        str = gsub str, "^\3*$", "%1\3"
+        -- Escape 'x' when it precedes something that looks like an uppercase hex sequence.
+        -- This way, all Lua IDs can be unambiguously reverse-engineered, but normal usage
+        -- of 'x' won't produce ugly Lua IDs.
+        -- i.e. "x" -> "x", "oxen" -> "oxen", but "Hex2Dec" -> "Hex782Dec" and "He-ec" -> "Hex2Dec"
+        str = gsub str, "x([0-9A-F][0-9A-F])", "x78%1"
+        -- Map spaces to underscores, and everything else non-alphanumeric to hex escape sequences
+        str = gsub str, "%W", (c)->
+            if c == ' ' then '_'
+            else format("x%02X", byte(c))
+        -- Lua IDs can't start with numbers, so map "1" -> "_1", "_1" -> "__1", etc.
+        str = gsub str, "^_*%d", "_%1"
+        return str
+
+    line_matcher = re.compile([[ 
+        lines <- {| line (%nl line)* |}
+        line <- {(!%nl .)*}
+    ]], nl:lpeg.P("\r")^-1 * lpeg.P("\n"))
+
+    text_methods =
+        reversed:=>reverse(tostring @)
+        uppercase:=>upper(tostring @)
+        lowercase:=>lower(tostring @)
+        as_lua_id:=>as_lua_id(tostring @)
+        formatted_with_1:(args)=>format(tostring(@), unpack(args))
+        byte_1:(i)=>byte(tostring(@), i)
+        position_of_1:=>find(tostring @),
+        position_of_1_after_2:(i)=> find(tostring(@), i)
+        bytes_1_to_2: (start, stop)=> List{byte(tostring(@), start, stop)}
+        bytes: => List{byte(tostring(@), 1, #@)},
+        capitalized: => gsub(tostring(@), '%l', upper, 1)
+        lines: => List(line_matcher\match(@))
+        matches_1: (patt)=> match(tostring(@), patt) and true or false
+        [as_lua_id "* 1"]: (n)=> rep(@, n)
+        matching_1: (patt)=>
+            result = {}
+            stepper,x,i = gmatch(tostring(@), patt)
+            while true
+                tmp = List{stepper(x,i)}
+                break if #tmp == 0
+                i = tmp[1]
+                result[#result+1] = tmp
+            return List(result)
+        [as_lua_id "with 1 -> 2"]: (patt, sub)=> gsub(tostring(@), patt, sub)
+        _coalesce: =>
+            if rawlen(@) > 1
+                s = table.concat(@)
+                for i=rawlen(@), 2, -1 do @[i] = nil
+                @[1] = s
+            return @
+    
+    setmetatable(text_methods, {__index:string})
+
+    getmetatable("").__index = (i)=>
+        -- Use [] for accessing text characters, or s[{3,4}] for s:sub(3,4)
+        if type(i) == 'number' then return sub(@, i, i)
+        elseif type(i) == 'table' then return sub(@, i[1], i[2])
+        else return text_methods[i]
+    
+    assert(("abc")\matches_1("ab"))
+
+    [==[
+    text_metatable =
+        __mul: (other)=>
+            assert(type(other) == 'number', "Invalid type for multiplication")
+            return rep(@, other)
+        __index: (i)=>
+            -- Use [] for accessing text characters, or s[{3,4}] for s:sub(3,4)
+            if type(i) == 'number' then return sub(@, i, i)
+            elseif type(i) == 'table' then return sub(@, i[1], i[2])
+            else return text_methods[i]
+        __tostring: => @_coalesce![1]
+        __len: => #tostring(@)
+        __concat: (other)=> tostring(@), tostring(other)
+        __len: => #tostring(@)
+        __eq: (other)=>
+            type(@) == type(other) and getmetatable(@) == getmetatable(other) and tostring(@) == tostring(other)
+        __lt: (other)=> tostring(@) < tostring(other)
+        __le: (other)=> tostring(@) <= tostring(other)
+        __newindex: => error("Cannot modify Text")
+
+    Text = (s)-> setmetatable(s, text_metatable)
+        ]==]
+
+return {:List, :Dict, :Text}
diff --git a/core/errors.nom b/core/errors.nom
index 874f2fe..638b487 100644
--- a/core/errors.nom
+++ b/core/errors.nom
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@ compile [assume %condition] to:
                 error(\(quote "\%assumption"), 0)
             end
 
+compile [assume %a == %b] to:
+    lua> ".."
+        local \%assumption = 'Assumption failed: '..tostring(nomsu:tree_to_nomsu(\(\(%a == %b))))
+    define mangler
+    return (..)
+        Lua ".."
+            do
+                local \(mangle "a"), \(mangle "b") = \(%a as lua expr), \(%b as lua expr)
+                if \(mangle "a") ~= \(mangle "b") then
+                    error(\(quote "\%assumption").."\\n"..tostring(\(mangle "a")).." != "..tostring(\(mangle "b")), 0)
+                end
+            end
+
 compile [assume %condition or barf %message] to (..)
     Lua ".."
         if not \(%condition as lua expr) then
diff --git a/core/text.nom b/core/text.nom
index d9d85b5..bd9335a 100644
--- a/core/text.nom
+++ b/core/text.nom
@@ -6,10 +6,8 @@
 use "core/metaprogramming.nom"
 
 test:
-    assume (("x" + "y") == "xy")
-    %s = "list:\[1, 2, 3]"
-    assume (%s == "list:[1, 2, 3]")
-    assume ("foo = \(1 + 2)!" == "foo = 3!")
+    assume "\[1, 2, 3]" == "[1, 2, 3]"
+    assume "foo = \(1 + 2)!" == "foo = 3!"
     assume (..)
         ".."
             one
@@ -20,73 +18,35 @@ test:
             no\
             ..gap
         ..== "nogap"
+    assume (["x", "y"]::joined with ",") == "x,y"
+    assume (["x", "y"]::joined) == "xy"
+    assume ("BAR"::byte 2) == 65
+    assume ("BAR"::bytes 1 to 2) == [66, 65]
+    assume ("asdf"::capitalized) == "Asdf"
+    assume ("asdf"::uppercase) == "ASDF"
+    assume ("asdf"::with "s" -> "X") == "aXdf"
+    assume ("one\ntwo\n"::lines) == ["one", "two", ""]
+    
     parse [アクション %spec %body] as (action %spec %body)
 test:
     %こんにちは = "こんにちは"
     アクション [% と言う] "\(%)世界"
-    assume ((%こんにちは と言う) == "こんにちは世界") or barf ".."
-        Unicode doesn't work
+    assume (%こんにちは と言う) == "こんにちは世界"
 
 # Text functions
-test:
-    assume ((["x", "y"] joined with ",") == "x,y") or barf "joined with failed"
-    assume ((["x", "y"] joined) == "xy") or barf "joined failed"
-action [%texts joined with %glue] (..)
-    lua> ".."
-        local text_bits = {}
-        for i,bit in ipairs(\%texts) do text_bits[i] = stringify(bit) end
-        return table.concat(text_bits, \%glue)
-
-parse [joined %texts, %texts joined] as (%texts joined with "")
-
-test:
-    assume ((byte 2 of "BAR") == 65)
-    assume ((bytes 1 to 2 of "BAR") == [66, 65])
-compile [byte %i of %text] to (..)
-    Lua value "(\(%text as lua expr)):byte(\(%i as lua expr))"
-
-compile [bytes %start to %stop of %text] to (..)
-    Lua value ".."
-        _List{(\(%text as lua expr)):byte(\(%start as lua expr), \(%stop as lua expr))}
-
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-action [bytes of %text] (bytes 1 to (=lua "#\%text") of %text)
-
-test:
-    assume (("asdf" capitalized) == "Asdf")
-compile [capitalized %text, %text capitalized] to (..)
-    Lua value "(\(%text as lua expr)):gsub('%l', string.upper, 1)"
-
-test:
-    assume (("asdf" uppercase) == "ASDF")
-compile [uppercase %text, %text uppercase] to (..)
-    Lua value "(\(%text as lua expr)):upper()"
-
-test:
-    assume (("asdf" with "X" instead of "s") == "aXdf") or barf ".."
-        substitution failed
-compile [..]
+parse [%texts joined with %glue] as (%texts::joined with %glue)
+parse [%texts joined, joined %texts] as (%texts::joined)
+parse [byte %i of %text] as (%text::byte %i)
+parse [bytes %start to %stop of %text] as (%text::bytes %start to %stop)
+parse [bytes of %text] as (%text::bytes)
+parse [capitalized %text, %text capitalized] as (%text::capitalized)
+parse [uppercase %text, %text uppercase] as (%text::uppercase)
+parse [..]
     %text with %sub instead of %patt, %text with %patt replaced by %sub
     %text s/ %patt / %sub
-..to (..)
-    Lua value ".."
-        ((\(%text as lua expr)):gsub(\(%patt as lua expr), \(%sub as lua expr)))
-
-test:
-    assume (..)
-        (..)
-            lines in ".."
-                one
-                two
-        ..== ["one", "two"]
-action [lines in %text, lines of %text] (..)
-    lua> ".."
-        local result = _List{}
-        for line in (\%text):gmatch('[^\\n]+') do
-            result[#result+1] = line
-        end
-        return result
+..as (%text::with %patt -> %sub)
+parse [%text matches %pattern] as (%text::matches %pattern)
+parse [%text matching %pattern] as ((%text::matching %pattern).1)
 
 compile [for %match in %text matching %patt %body] to (..)
     Lua ".."
@@ -108,15 +68,8 @@ compile [%expr for %match in %text matching %patt] to (..)
             return ret
         end)()
 
-compile [%text matches %pattern] to (..)
-    Lua value ".."
-        ((\(%text as lua expr)):match(\(%pattern as lua expr)) and true or false)
-
-compile [%text matching %pattern] to (..)
-    Lua value "(\(%text as lua expr)):match(\(%pattern as lua expr))"
-
 test:
-    assume ("\n" == (newline)) or barf "Text literals failed."
+    assume "\n" == (newline)
 
 # Text literals
 lua> ".."
diff --git a/nomsu_compiler.lua b/nomsu_compiler.lua
index 02460b3..215617f 100644
--- a/nomsu_compiler.lua
+++ b/nomsu_compiler.lua
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ local utils = require('utils')
 local Files = require('files')
 local repr, stringify, equivalent
 repr, stringify, equivalent = utils.repr, utils.stringify, utils.equivalent
-local List, Dict
+local List, Dict, Text
 do
   local _obj_0 = require('containers')
-  List, Dict = _obj_0.List, _obj_0.Dict
+  List, Dict, Text = _obj_0.List, _obj_0.Dict, _obj_0.Text
 end
 colors = require('consolecolors')
 colored = setmetatable({ }, {
@@ -74,23 +74,6 @@ table.copy = function(t)
     return _tbl_0
   end)(), getmetatable(t))
 end
-do
-  local STRING_METATABLE = getmetatable("")
-  STRING_METATABLE.__add = function(self, other)
-    return self .. stringify(other)
-  end
-  STRING_METATABLE.__index = function(self, i)
-    local ret = string[i]
-    if ret ~= nil then
-      return ret
-    end
-    if type(i) == 'number' then
-      return sub(self, i, i)
-    elseif type(i) == 'table' then
-      return sub(self, i[1], i[2])
-    end
-  end
-end
 local MAX_LINE = 80
 local NomsuCompiler = setmetatable({
   name = "Nomsu"
@@ -531,7 +514,12 @@ do
       end
       local lua = LuaCode.Value(tree.source)
       if tree.target then
-        lua:append(self:compile(tree.target), ":")
+        local target_lua = self:compile(tree.target)
+        if tostring(target_lua):match("^%(.*%)$") or tostring(target_lua):match("^[_a-zA-Z][_a-zA-Z0-9]*$") then
+          lua:append(target_lua, ":")
+        else
+          lua:append("(", target_lua, "):")
+        end
       end
       lua:append(string.as_lua_id(stub), "(")
       local args = { }
diff --git a/nomsu_compiler.moon b/nomsu_compiler.moon
index bae3f11..7a637f4 100644
--- a/nomsu_compiler.moon
+++ b/nomsu_compiler.moon
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ re = require 're'
 utils = require 'utils'
 Files = require 'files'
 {:repr, :stringify, :equivalent} = utils
-{:List, :Dict} = require 'containers'
+{:List, :Dict, :Text} = require 'containers'
 export colors, colored
 colors = require 'consolecolors'
 colored = setmetatable({}, {__index:(_,color)-> ((msg)-> colors[color]..tostring(msg or '')..colors.reset)})
@@ -57,18 +57,6 @@ table.copy = (t)-> setmetatable({k,v for k,v in pairs(t)}, getmetatable(t))
 -- consider non-linear codegen, rather than doing thunks for things like comprehensions
 -- Re-implement nomsu-to-lua comment translation?
 
--- Use + operator for string coercive concatenation (note: "asdf" + 3 == "asdf3")
--- Use [] for accessing string characters, or s[{3,4}] for s:sub(3,4)
--- Note: This globally affects all strings in this instance of Lua!
-do
-    STRING_METATABLE = getmetatable("")
-    STRING_METATABLE.__add = (other)=> @ .. stringify(other)
-    STRING_METATABLE.__index = (i)=>
-        ret = string[i]
-        if ret != nil then return ret
-        if type(i) == 'number' then return sub(@, i, i)
-        elseif type(i) == 'table' then return sub(@, i[1], i[2])
-
 MAX_LINE = 80 -- For beautification purposes, try not to make lines much longer than this value
 NomsuCompiler = setmetatable {name:"Nomsu"},
     __index: (k)=> if _self = rawget(@, "self") then _self[k] else nil
@@ -339,8 +327,12 @@ with NomsuCompiler
                     return ret
 
                 lua = LuaCode.Value(tree.source)
-                if tree.target
-                    lua\append @compile(tree.target), ":"
+                if tree.target -- Method call
+                    target_lua = @compile tree.target
+                    if tostring(target_lua)\match("^%(.*%)$") or tostring(target_lua)\match("^[_a-zA-Z][_a-zA-Z0-9]*$")
+                        lua\append target_lua, ":"
+                    else
+                        lua\append "(", target_lua, "):"
                 lua\append(string.as_lua_id(stub),"(")
                 args = {}
                 for i, tok in ipairs tree