diff --git a/actor.ts b/actor.ts
index eadaa9c..4fb69c8 100644
--- a/actor.ts
+++ b/actor.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@ import {
     IdentitySet,
     Record,
     Value,
-    fold,
     is,
-    mapPointers,
-    unannotate,
 } from 'preserves';
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -33,16 +30,68 @@ export type Attenuation = Array<RewriteStage>; // array of stages, each a list o
 export type RewriteStage = Array<Rewrite>;
 export type Rewrite = { pattern: Pattern, template: Template };
 
-export type PatternPointer =
-    | Ref
-    | { type: 'discard' }
-    | { type: 'bind', name: string, pattern: Pattern }
-    | { type: 'and', patterns: Array<Pattern> }
-    | { type: 'not', pattern: Pattern };
-export type Pattern = Value<PatternPointer>;
+export const _CRec = Symbol.for('rec');
+export const CRec = Record.makeConstructor<{label: Assertion, arity: number}, Ref>()(
+    _CRec, ['label', 'arity']);
+export type CRec = ReturnType<typeof CRec>;
 
-export type TemplatePointer = Ref | { type: 'ref', name: string };
-export type Template = Value<TemplatePointer>;
+export const _CArr = Symbol.for('arr');
+export const CArr = Record.makeConstructor<{arity: number}, Ref>()(
+    _CArr, ['arity']);
+export type CArr = ReturnType<typeof CArr>;
+
+export const _CDict = Symbol.for('dict');
+export const CDict = Record.makeConstructor<{}, Ref>()(
+    _CDict, []);
+export type CDict = ReturnType<typeof CDict>;
+
+export type ConstructorSpec = CRec | CArr | CDict;
+
+export const _PDiscard = Symbol.for('_');
+export const PDiscard = Record.makeConstructor<{}, Ref>()(
+    _PDiscard, []);
+export type PDiscard = ReturnType<typeof PDiscard>;
+
+export const _PBind = Symbol.for('bind');
+export const PBind = Record.makeConstructor<{name: string, pattern: Assertion}, Ref>()(
+    _PBind, ['name', 'pattern']);
+export type PBind = ReturnType<typeof PBind>;
+
+export const _PAnd = Symbol.for('and');
+export const PAnd = Record.makeConstructor<{patterns: Array<Assertion>}, Ref>()(
+    _PAnd, ['patterns']);
+export type PAnd = ReturnType<typeof PAnd>;
+
+export const _PNot = Symbol.for('not');
+export const PNot = Record.makeConstructor<{pattern: Assertion}, Ref>()(
+    _PNot, ['pattern']);
+export type PNot = ReturnType<typeof PNot>;
+
+export const _Lit = Symbol.for('lit');
+export const Lit = Record.makeConstructor<{value: Assertion}, Ref>()(
+    _Lit, ['value']);
+export type Lit = ReturnType<typeof Lit>;
+
+export const _PCompound = Symbol.for('compound');
+export const PCompound =
+    Record.makeConstructor<{ctor: ConstructorSpec, members: Dictionary<Assertion>}, Ref>()(
+        _PCompound, ['ctor', 'members']);
+export type PCompound = ReturnType<typeof PCompound>;
+
+export type Pattern = PDiscard | PBind | PAnd | PNot | Lit | PCompound;
+
+export const _TRef = Symbol.for('ref');
+export const TRef = Record.makeConstructor<{name: string}, Ref>()(
+    _TRef, ['name']);
+export type TRef = ReturnType<typeof TRef>;
+
+export const _TCompound = Symbol.for('compound');
+export const TCompound =
+    Record.makeConstructor<{ctor: ConstructorSpec, members: Dictionary<Assertion>}, Ref>()(
+        _TCompound, ['ctor', 'members']);
+export type TCompound = ReturnType<typeof TCompound>;
+
+export type Template = TRef | Lit | TCompound;
 
 export type Bindings = { [name: string]: Assertion };
 
@@ -52,14 +101,6 @@ export function isRef(v: any): v is Ref {
     return 'relay' in v && v.relay instanceof Actor && 'target' in v;
 }
 
-export const pdiscard: Pattern = { type: 'discard' };
-export const pbind = (name: string, pattern: Pattern = pdiscard): Pattern =>
-    ({ type: 'bind', name, pattern });
-export const pand = (... patterns: Pattern[]): Pattern => ({ type: 'and', patterns });
-export const pnot = (pattern: Pattern): Pattern => ({ type: 'not', pattern });
-
-export const tref = (name: string): Template => ({ type: 'ref', name });
-
 export class Actor {
     readonly outbound: Map<Handle, Ref>;
     exitReason: ExitReason = null;
@@ -179,78 +220,110 @@ export function match(p: Pattern, v: Assertion): Bindings | null {
     let bindings: Bindings = {};
 
     function walk(p: Pattern, v: Assertion): boolean {
-        return fold(p, {
-            boolean(_b) { return is(p, v); },
-            single(_f) { return is(p, v); },
-            double(_f) { return is(p, v); },
-            integer(_i) { return is(p, v); },
-            string(_s) { return is(p, v); },
-            bytes(_b) { return is(p, v); },
-            symbol(_s) { return is(p, v); },
-            record(r) {
-                v = unannotate(v);
-                return Record.isRecord<Ref>(v)
-                    && r.length === v.length
-                    && walk(r.label, v.label)
-                    && r.every((pp, i) => walk(pp, (v as Record<Ref>)[i]));
-            },
-            array(a) {
-                v = unannotate(v);
-                return Array.isArray(v)
-                    && a.length === v.length
-                    && a.every((pp, i) =>
-                        walk(pp, (v as Array<Value<Ref>>)[i]));
-            },
-            set(_s) { return false; }, // TODO: set patterns
-            dictionary(d) {
-                v = unannotate(v);
-                if (!Dictionary.isDictionary<Ref>(v)) return false;
-                if (d.size !== v.size) return false;
-                for (const pe of d.entries()) {
-                    const [pk, pv] = pe;
-                    if (!v.has(pk)) return false;
-                    if (!walk(pv, v.get(pk)!)) return false;
+        switch (p.label) {
+            case _PDiscard:
+                return true;
+            case _PBind:
+                if (walk(PBind._.pattern(p) as Pattern, v)) {
+                    bindings[PBind._.name(p)] = v;
+                    return true;
+                }
+                return false;
+            case _PAnd:
+                for (const pp of PAnd._.patterns(p) as Pattern[]) {
+                    if (!walk(pp, v)) return false;
                 }
                 return true;
-            },
-            annotated(a) { return walk(a.item, v); },
-            pointer(t) {
-                if ('type' in t) {
-                    switch (t.type) {
-                        case 'bind':
-                            if (walk(t.pattern, v)) {
-                                bindings[t.name] = v;
-                                return true;
-                            }
-                            return false;
-                        case 'discard':
-                            return true;
-                        case 'not': {
-                            const savedBindings = bindings;
-                            bindings = {};
-                            const result = !walk(t.pattern, v)
-                            bindings = savedBindings;
-                            return result;
+            case _PNot: {
+                const savedBindings = bindings;
+                bindings = {};
+                const result = !walk(PNot._.pattern(p) as Pattern, v)
+                bindings = savedBindings;
+                return result;
+            }
+            case _Lit:
+                return is(Lit._.value(p), v);
+            case _PCompound: {
+                const ctor = PCompound._.ctor(p);
+                const members = PCompound._.members(p) as Dictionary<Pattern, Ref>;
+                switch (ctor.label) {
+                    case _CRec:
+                        if (!Record.isRecord<Assertion, Ref>(v)) return false;
+                        if (!is(CRec._.label(ctor), v.label)) return false;
+                        if (CRec._.arity(ctor) !== v.length) return false;
+                        for (const [key, pp] of members) {
+                            if (typeof key !== 'number') return false;
+                            if (!walk(pp, v[key])) return false;
                         }
-                        case 'and':
-                            for (const p of t.patterns) {
-                                if (!walk(p, v)) return false;
-                            }
-                            return true;
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    if (!isRef(v)) return false;
-                    return (t.relay === v.relay) && (t.target === v.target);
+                        return true;
+                    case _CArr:
+                        if (!Array.isArray(v)) return false;
+                        if ('label' in v) return false;
+                        if (CArr._.arity(ctor) !== v.length) return false;
+                        for (const [key, pp] of members) {
+                            if (typeof key !== 'number') return false;
+                            if (!walk(pp, v[key])) return false;
+                        }
+                        return true;
+                    case _CDict:
+                        if (!Dictionary.isDictionary<Assertion, Ref>(v)) return false;
+                        for (const [key, pp] of members) {
+                            const vv = v.get(key);
+                            if (vv === void 0) return false;
+                            if (!walk(pp, vv)) return false;
+                        }
+                        return true;
                 }
-            },
-        });
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     return walk(p, v) ? bindings : null;
 }
 
 export function instantiate(t: Template, b: Bindings): Assertion {
-    return mapPointers(t, p => ('type' in p) ? b[p.name] : p);
+    function walk(t: Template): Assertion {
+        switch (t.label) {
+            case _TRef: {
+                const v = b[TRef._.name(t)];
+                if (v === void 0) throw new Error(`Unbound reference: ${TRef._.name(t)}`);
+                return v;
+            }
+            case _Lit:
+                return Lit._.value(t);
+            case _TCompound: {
+                const ctor = TCompound._.ctor(t);
+                const members = TCompound._.members(t) as Dictionary<Template, Ref>;
+                switch (ctor.label) {
+                    case _CRec: {
+                        const v = Record<Assertion, Ref>(CRec._.label(ctor), []);
+                        v.length = CRec._.arity(ctor);
+                        for (const [key, tt] of members) {
+                            v[key as number] = walk(tt);
+                        }
+                        return v;
+                    }
+                    case _CArr: {
+                        const v = [];
+                        v.length = CArr._.arity(ctor);
+                        for (const [key, tt] of members) {
+                            v[key as number] = walk(tt);
+                        }
+                        return v;
+                    }
+                    case _CDict: {
+                        const v = new Dictionary<Assertion, Ref>();
+                        for (const [key, tt] of members) {
+                            v.set(key, walk(tt));
+                        }
+                        return v;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return walk(t);
 }
 
 export function rewrite(r: Rewrite, v: Assertion): Assertion | null {
@@ -279,7 +352,7 @@ export function runRewrites(a: Attenuation | undefined, v: Assertion): Assertion
 }
 
 export function rfilter(... patterns: Pattern[]): RewriteStage {
-    return patterns.map(p => ({ pattern: pbind('a', p), template: tref('a') }));
+    return patterns.map(p => ({ pattern: PBind('a', p), template: TRef('a') }));
 }
 
 export function attenuate(ref: Ref, ... a: Attenuation): Ref {
diff --git a/dataspace.ts b/dataspace.ts
index ed62b95..cf54594 100644
--- a/dataspace.ts
+++ b/dataspace.ts
@@ -27,15 +27,16 @@ import { Bag, ChangeDescription } from './bag';
 // observer-observers and attenuator patterns don't have to deal with
 // spurious variation.
 //
-export const Observe = Record.makeConstructor('Observe', ['label', 'observer']);
+export const Observe = Record.makeConstructor<{label: Assertion, observer: Ref}, Ref>()(
+    Symbol.for('Observe'), ['label', 'observer']);
 
 export class Dataspace implements Partial<Entity> {
-    readonly handleMap: IdentityMap<Handle, Record<Ref>> = new IdentityMap();
+    readonly handleMap: IdentityMap<Handle, Record<Assertion, Ref>> = new IdentityMap();
     readonly assertions = new Bag<Ref>();
     readonly subscriptions: Dictionary<Map<Ref, Dictionary<Handle>>> = new Dictionary();
 
     assert(turn: Turn, rec: Assertion, handle: Handle): void {
-        if (!Record.isRecord<Ref>(rec)) return;
+        if (!Record.isRecord<Assertion, Ref>(rec)) return;
         this.handleMap.set(handle, rec);
         if (this.assertions.change(rec, +1) !== ChangeDescription.ABSENT_TO_PRESENT) return;
         if (Observe.isClassOf(rec)) {
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ export class Dataspace implements Partial<Entity> {
             if (!this.subscriptions.has(label)) this.subscriptions.set(label, new Map());
             this.subscriptions.get(label)!.set(observer, seen);
             this.assertions.forEach((_count, prev) =>
-                is((prev as Record<Ref>).label, label)
+                is((prev as Record<Assertion, Ref>).label, label)
                 && seen.set(prev, turn.assert(observer, prev)));
         }
         this.subscriptions.get(rec.label)?.forEach((seen, peer) =>
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ export class Dataspace implements Partial<Entity> {
     }
 
     message(turn: Turn, rec: Assertion): void {
-        if (!Record.isRecord<Ref>(rec)) return;
+        if (!Record.isRecord<Assertion, Ref>(rec)) return;
         this.subscriptions.get(rec.label)?.forEach((_seen, peer) => turn.message(peer, rec));
     }
 }
diff --git a/main.ts b/main.ts
index 6f2177c..8a1bf6c 100644
--- a/main.ts
+++ b/main.ts
@@ -5,14 +5,19 @@ import {
     Ref,
     Turn,
     attenuate,
-    pdiscard,
     rfilter,
+    PDiscard,
+    PCompound,
+    CRec,
+    Lit,
 } from './actor.js';
-import { Record } from 'preserves';
+import { Dictionary, Record } from 'preserves';
 import { Dataspace, Observe } from './dataspace.js';
 
-const BoxState = Record.makeConstructor('BoxState', ['value']);
-const SetBox = Record.makeConstructor('SetBox', ['newValue']);
+const BoxState = Record.makeConstructor<{value: number}, Ref>()(
+    Symbol.for('BoxState'), ['value']);
+const SetBox = Record.makeConstructor<{newValue: number}, Ref>()(
+    Symbol.for('SetBox'), ['newValue']);
 
 let startTime = Date.now();
 let prevValue = 0;
@@ -76,11 +81,19 @@ Turn.for(new Actor(), async (t: Turn) => {
 
     spawnBox(t, attenuate(
         ds,
-        rfilter(BoxState(pdiscard),
-                Observe(SetBox.constructorInfo.label, pdiscard))));
+        rfilter(PCompound(CRec(BoxState.constructorInfo.label,
+                               BoxState.constructorInfo.arity),
+                          new Dictionary()),
+                PCompound(CRec(Observe.constructorInfo.label,
+                               Observe.constructorInfo.arity),
+                          new Dictionary([[0, Lit(SetBox.constructorInfo.label)]])))));
 
     spawnClient(t, attenuate(
         ds,
-        rfilter(SetBox(pdiscard),
-                Observe(BoxState.constructorInfo.label, pdiscard))));
+        rfilter(PCompound(CRec(SetBox.constructorInfo.label,
+                               SetBox.constructorInfo.arity),
+                          new Dictionary()),
+                PCompound(CRec(Observe.constructorInfo.label,
+                               Observe.constructorInfo.arity),
+                          new Dictionary([[0, Lit(BoxState.constructorInfo.label)]])))));
 });