diff --git a/examples/errors.rs b/examples/errors.rs
index 782e5c0..f86bf68 100644
--- a/examples/errors.rs
+++ b/examples/errors.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use eww_config::{
     format_diagnostic::ToDiagnostic,
-    parser::{ast::*, element::FromAst},
+    parser::{ast::*, from_ast::FromAst},
 };
 
 fn main() {
@@ -15,17 +15,16 @@ fn main() {
 
     let file_id = files.add("foo.eww", input);
     let ast = eww_config::parser::parse_string(file_id, input);
-    match ast.and_then(eww_config::parser::element::Element::<Ast, Ast>::from_ast) {
-        Ok(ast) => {
-            println!("{:?}", ast);
-        }
-        Err(err) => {
-            dbg!(&err);
-            let diag = err.to_diagnostic();
-            use codespan_reporting::term;
-            let config = term::Config::default();
-            let mut writer = term::termcolor::StandardStream::stderr(term::termcolor::ColorChoice::Always);
-            term::emit(&mut writer, &config, &files, &diag).unwrap();
-        }
-    }
+    // match ast.and_then(eww_config::parser::from_ast::Element::<Ast, Ast>::from_ast) {
+    // Ok(ast) => {
+    // println!("{:?}", ast);
+    //}
+    // Err(err) => {
+    // dbg!(&err);
+    // let diag = err.to_diagnostic();
+    // use codespan_reporting::term;
+    // let config = term::Config::default();
+    // let mut writer = term::termcolor::StandardStream::stderr(term::termcolor::ColorChoice::Always);
+    // term::emit(&mut writer, &config, &files, &diag).unwrap();
+    //}
 }
diff --git a/examples/validation.rs b/examples/validation.rs
index 9361975..f2cca38 100644
--- a/examples/validation.rs
+++ b/examples/validation.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use eww_config::{
     config::{widget_definition::WidgetDefinition, widget_use::WidgetUse, *},
     error::AstError,
     format_diagnostic::ToDiagnostic,
-    parser::element::FromAst,
+    parser::from_ast::FromAst,
 };
 
 fn main() {
diff --git a/src/config/config.rs b/src/config/config.rs
index e34e766..17085b5 100644
--- a/src/config/config.rs
+++ b/src/config/config.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{AstError, AstResult, OptionAstErrorExt},
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
+        from_ast::{FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
     },
     spanned,
     value::{AttrName, VarName},
diff --git a/src/config/config_parse_error.rs b/src/config/config_parse_error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a99b01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/config_parse_error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ConfigParseError {}
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index 42c678c..39e20af 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 mod config;
+pub mod config_parse_error;
 pub mod script_var_definition;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test;
diff --git a/src/config/script_var_definition.rs b/src/config/script_var_definition.rs
index 5801ca2..d245ced 100644
--- a/src/config/script_var_definition.rs
+++ b/src/config/script_var_definition.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{AstError, AstResult},
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
+        from_ast::{FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
     },
     spanned,
     value::{AttrName, VarName},
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ impl FromAstElementContent for PollScriptVar {
         let attrs: HashMap<String, String> = iter.expect_key_values()?;
         let interval = attrs.get("interval").unwrap();
         let interval = crate::util::parse_duration(interval).map_err(|e| AstError::Other(Some(span), e.into()))?;
-        let (_, script) = iter.expect_value()?;
+        let (_, script) = iter.expect_literal()?;
         Ok(Self { name: VarName(name), command: VarSource::Shell(script.to_string()), interval })
     }
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ impl FromAstElementContent for TailScriptVar {
 
     fn from_tail<I: Iterator<Item = Ast>>(span: Span, mut iter: AstIterator<I>) -> AstResult<Self> {
         let (_, name) = iter.expect_symbol()?;
-        let (_, script) = iter.expect_value()?;
+        let (_, script) = iter.expect_literal()?;
         Ok(Self { name: VarName(name), command: script.to_string() })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/config/test.rs b/src/config/test.rs
index 9d9c454..593a683 100644
--- a/src/config/test.rs
+++ b/src/config/test.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use crate::{
     parser::{
         self,
         ast::{Ast, Span},
-        element::FromAst,
+        from_ast::FromAst,
         lexer::Lexer,
     },
 };
diff --git a/src/config/validate.rs b/src/config/validate.rs
index d35c0cc..dc9678b 100644
--- a/src/config/validate.rs
+++ b/src/config/validate.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::AstResult,
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst},
+        from_ast::FromAst,
     },
     spanned,
     value::{AttrName, VarName},
diff --git a/src/config/var_definition.rs b/src/config/var_definition.rs
index 3002980..37948cd 100644
--- a/src/config/var_definition.rs
+++ b/src/config/var_definition.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::AstResult,
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
+        from_ast::{FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
     },
     spanned,
     value::{AttrName, VarName},
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ impl FromAstElementContent for VarDefinition {
 
     fn from_tail<I: Iterator<Item = Ast>>(span: Span, mut iter: AstIterator<I>) -> AstResult<Self> {
         let (_, name) = iter.expect_symbol()?;
-        let (_, initial_value) = iter.expect_value()?;
+        let (_, initial_value) = iter.expect_literal()?;
         Ok(Self { name: VarName(name), initial_value, span })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/config/widget_definition.rs b/src/config/widget_definition.rs
index bb3764f..518286d 100644
--- a/src/config/widget_definition.rs
+++ b/src/config/widget_definition.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::AstResult,
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
+        from_ast::{FromAst, FromAstElementContent},
     },
     spanned,
     value::{AttrName, VarName},
diff --git a/src/config/widget_use.rs b/src/config/widget_use.rs
index be29039..516b862 100644
--- a/src/config/widget_use.rs
+++ b/src/config/widget_use.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::AstResult,
     parser::{
         ast::{Ast, AstIterator, Span},
-        element::{Element, FromAst},
+        from_ast::FromAst,
     },
     spanned,
     value::AttrName,
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ impl FromAst for WidgetUse {
     fn from_ast(e: Ast) -> AstResult<Self> {
         let span = e.span();
         spanned!(e.span(), {
-            if let Ok(text) = e.as_value_ref() {
+            if let Ok(text) = e.as_literal_ref() {
                 Self {
                     name: "text".to_string(),
                     attrs: maplit::hashmap! { AttrName("text".to_string()) => SimplExpr::Literal(span.into(), text.clone()) },
diff --git a/src/parser/ast.rs b/src/parser/ast.rs
index ed10d76..af1b513 100644
--- a/src/parser/ast.rs
+++ b/src/parser/ast.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 use std::fmt::Display;
 
-use super::element::FromAst;
+use super::from_ast::FromAst;
 use crate::error::{AstError, AstResult, OptionAstErrorExt};
 
 #[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Copy, serde::Serialize)]
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ pub enum AstType {
     Array,
     Keyword,
     Symbol,
-    Value,
+    Literal,
     SimplExpr,
     Comment,
+    // A value that could be used as a [SimplExpr]
+    IntoPrimitive,
 }
 
 impl Display for AstType {
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ pub enum Ast {
     Array(Span, Vec<Ast>),
     Keyword(Span, String),
     Symbol(Span, String),
-    Value(Span, DynVal),
+    Literal(Span, DynVal),
     SimplExpr(Span, SimplExpr),
     Comment(Span),
 }
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ macro_rules! as_func {
 }
 
 impl Ast {
-    as_func!(AstType::Value, as_value as_value_ref<DynVal> = Ast::Value(_, x) => x);
+    as_func!(AstType::Literal, as_literal as_literal_ref<DynVal> = Ast::Literal(_, x) => x);
 
     as_func!(AstType::Symbol, as_symbol as_symbol_ref<String> = Ast::Symbol(_, x) => x);
 
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ impl Ast {
             Ast::Array(..) => AstType::Array,
             Ast::Keyword(..) => AstType::Keyword,
             Ast::Symbol(..) => AstType::Symbol,
-            Ast::Value(..) => AstType::Value,
+            Ast::Literal(..) => AstType::Literal,
             Ast::SimplExpr(..) => AstType::SimplExpr,
             Ast::Comment(_) => AstType::Comment,
         }
@@ -101,16 +103,20 @@ impl Ast {
             Ast::Array(span, _) => *span,
             Ast::Keyword(span, _) => *span,
             Ast::Symbol(span, _) => *span,
-            Ast::Value(span, _) => *span,
+            Ast::Literal(span, _) => *span,
             Ast::SimplExpr(span, _) => *span,
             Ast::Comment(span) => *span,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn first_list_elem(&self) -> Option<&Ast> {
+    pub fn as_simplexpr(self) -> AstResult<SimplExpr> {
         match self {
-            Ast::List(_, list) => list.first(),
-            _ => None,
+            // do I do this?
+            // Ast::Array(_, _) => todo!(),
+            // Ast::Symbol(_, _) => todo!(),
+            Ast::Literal(span, x) => Ok(SimplExpr::Literal(span.into(), x)),
+            Ast::SimplExpr(span, x) => Ok(x),
+            _ => Err(AstError::WrongExprType(Some(self.span()), AstType::IntoPrimitive, self.expr_type())),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -123,7 +129,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Ast {
             Array(_, x) => write!(f, "({})", x.iter().map(|e| format!("{}", e)).join(" ")),
             Keyword(_, x) => write!(f, ":{}", x),
             Symbol(_, x) => write!(f, "{}", x),
-            Value(_, x) => write!(f, "\"{}\"", x),
+            Literal(_, x) => write!(f, "\"{}\"", x),
             SimplExpr(_, x) => write!(f, "{{{}}}", x),
             Comment(_) => write!(f, ""),
         }
@@ -170,7 +176,7 @@ macro_rules! return_or_put_back {
 impl<I: Iterator<Item = Ast>> AstIterator<I> {
     return_or_put_back!(expect_symbol, AstType::Symbol, (Span, String) = Ast::Symbol(span, x) => (span, x));
 
-    return_or_put_back!(expect_value, AstType::Value, (Span, DynVal) = Ast::Value(span, x) => (span, x));
+    return_or_put_back!(expect_literal, AstType::Literal, (Span, DynVal) = Ast::Literal(span, x) => (span, x));
 
     return_or_put_back!(expect_list, AstType::List, (Span, Vec<Ast>) = Ast::List(span, x) => (span, x));
 
diff --git a/src/parser/element.rs b/src/parser/from_ast.rs
similarity index 65%
rename from src/parser/element.rs
rename to src/parser/from_ast.rs
index 9bbff0a..8404439 100644
--- a/src/parser/element.rs
+++ b/src/parser/from_ast.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use super::ast::{Ast, AstIterator, AstType, Span};
-use crate::{error::*, parser, spanned, value::AttrName};
+use crate::{error::*, parser, spanned, util, value::AttrName};
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use simplexpr::{ast::SimplExpr, dynval::DynVal};
 use std::{
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ impl FromAst for Ast {
 
 impl FromAst for String {
     fn from_ast(e: Ast) -> AstResult<Self> {
-        Ok(e.as_value()?.as_string().unwrap())
+        Ok(e.as_literal()?.as_string().unwrap())
     }
 }
 
@@ -50,31 +50,9 @@ impl FromAst for SimplExpr {
     fn from_ast(e: Ast) -> AstResult<Self> {
         match e {
             Ast::Symbol(span, x) => Ok(SimplExpr::VarRef(span.into(), x)),
-            Ast::Value(span, x) => Ok(SimplExpr::Literal(span.into(), x)),
+            Ast::Literal(span, x) => Ok(SimplExpr::Literal(span.into(), x)),
             Ast::SimplExpr(span, x) => Ok(x),
             _ => Err(AstError::NotAValue(Some(e.span()), e.expr_type())),
         }
     }
 }
-
-#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
-pub struct Element<C, A> {
-    name: String,
-    attrs: HashMap<AttrName, A>,
-    children: Vec<C>,
-    span: Span,
-}
-
-impl<C: FromAst, A: FromAst> FromAst for Element<C, A> {
-    fn from_ast(e: Ast) -> AstResult<Self> {
-        let span = e.span();
-        spanned!(e.span(), {
-            let list = e.as_list()?;
-            let mut iter = AstIterator::new(list.into_iter());
-            let (_, name) = iter.expect_symbol()?;
-            let attrs = iter.expect_key_values()?.into_iter().map(|(k, v)| (AttrName(k), v)).collect();
-            let children = iter.map(C::from_ast).collect::<AstResult<Vec<_>>>()?;
-            Element { span, name, attrs, children }
-        })
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index e8ed750..d0a99d2 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use std::{fmt::Display, ops::Deref};
 use itertools::Itertools;
 
 pub mod ast;
-pub mod element;
+pub mod from_ast;
 pub(crate) mod lexer;
 pub(crate) mod parse_error;
 
diff --git a/src/parser/parser.lalrpop b/src/parser/parser.lalrpop
index 7ecc91b..110c749 100644
--- a/src/parser/parser.lalrpop
+++ b/src/parser/parser.lalrpop
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ pub Ast: Ast = {
     <l:@L> <expr:SimplExpr> <r:@R> => Ast::SimplExpr(Span(l, r, file_id), expr),
     <x:Keyword> => x,
     <x:Symbol> => x,
-    <l:@L> <x:Value> <r:@R> => Ast::Value(Span(l, r, file_id), x.into()),
+    <l:@L> <x:Literal> <r:@R> => Ast::Literal(Span(l, r, file_id), x.into()),
     <l:@L> "comment" <r:@R> => Ast::Comment(Span(l, r, file_id)),
 };
 
 Keyword: Ast = <l:@L> <x:"keyword"> <r:@R> => Ast::Keyword(Span(l, r, file_id), x[1..].to_string());
 Symbol: Ast = <l:@L> <x:"symbol"> <r:@R> => Ast::Symbol(Span(l, r, file_id), x.to_string());
 
-Value: String = {
+Literal: String = {
     <StrLit> => <>,
     <Num> => <>,
     <Bool> => <>,