diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index b4bf0087..b217a280 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -22,25 +22,44 @@ var rules = {
 var keys = Object.keys(rules)
   , len = keys.length;
 
-/**
- * Shared 
- */
-
-var links;
-
 /**
  * Lexer
  */
 
-var lex_ = function lex(str, tokens, line) {
-  var i
-    , key
-    , rule;
+var lex = function(str) {
+  var tokens = []
+    , links = {};
 
-  while (str.length) 
-  for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-    key = keys[i];
-    rule = rules[key];
+  // normalize whitespace
+  str = str.replace(/\r\n/g, '\n')
+           .replace(/\r/g, '\n');
+
+  str = str.replace(/\t/g, '    ');
+  //str = str.replace(/(^|\n) +(\n|$)/g, '$1$2');
+
+  // unfortunately, this is the most 
+  // performant method of getting link
+  // definitions out of the way.
+  str = str.replace(
+    /^ {0,3}\[([^\]]+)\]: *([^ ]+)(?: +"([^"]+)")?/gm, 
+    function(_, id, href, title) {
+    links[id] = {
+      href: href,
+      title: title
+    };
+    return '';
+  });
+
+  tokens.links = links;
+
+  return lex.token(str, tokens, 0);
+};
+
+lex.token = function lex(str, tokens, line) {
+ while (str.length) 
+  for (var i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+    var key = keys[i]
+      , rule = rules[key];
 
     cap = rule.exec(str);
     if (!cap) continue;
@@ -109,7 +128,10 @@ var lex_ = function lex(str, tokens, line) {
             type: 'list_item_start', 
             line: line
           });
+
+          // recurse
           lex(item, tokens, line);
+
           tokens.push({
             type: 'list_item_end', 
             line: line
@@ -134,7 +156,10 @@ var lex_ = function lex(str, tokens, line) {
           line: line
         });
         cap = cap[0].replace(/^ *>/gm, ''); 
+
+        // recurse
         lex(cap, tokens, line);
+
         tokens.push({
           type: 'blockquote_end', 
           line: line
@@ -143,34 +168,6 @@ var lex_ = function lex(str, tokens, line) {
     }
     break;
   }
-};
-
-var lex = function(str) {
-  var tokens = []
-    , line = 0;
-
-  // normalize whitespace
-  str = str.replace(/\r\n/g, '\n')
-           .replace(/\r/g, '\n');
-
-  str = str.replace(/\t/g, '    ');
-  //str = str.replace(/(^|\n) +(\n|$)/g, '$1$2');
-
-  // unfortunately, this is the most 
-  // performant method of getting link
-  // definitions out of the way.
-  links = {};
-  str = str.replace(
-    /^ {0,3}\[([^\]]+)\]: *([^ ]+)(?: +"([^"]+)")?/gm, 
-    function(_, id, href, title) {
-    links[id] = {
-      href: href,
-      title: title
-    };
-    return '';
-  });
-
-  lex_(str, tokens, line);
 
   return tokens;
 };
@@ -207,30 +204,32 @@ var inline = function(str) {
   // reference-style link.
   str = str.replace(
     /\[([^\]]+)\]\[([^\]]+)\]/g, 
-    function(_, text, id) {
-    var link = links[id];
-    return '<a href="' 
-      + link.href + '"' 
-      + (link.title 
-        ? ' title="' 
-          + link.title + '"'
-        : '') 
-      + '>' + text + '</a>';
-  });
+    function(__, text, id) {
+      var link = tokens.links[id];
+      return '<a href="' 
+        + link.href + '"' 
+        + (link.title 
+          ? ' title="' 
+            + link.title + '"'
+          : '') 
+        + '>' + text + '</a>';
+    }
+  );
 
   // for <http://hello.world/> links
   str = str.replace(
     /(?:<|&lt;)([^<>:\/ ]+:(?:\/\/)?[^>\n]+?|[^<>\n]+?(@)[^<>\n]+?)(?:&gt;|>)/g, 
-    function(_, href, at) {
-    if (at) {
-      // according to the markdown "spec"
-      // we need to mangle email addresses
-      var href = mangle(href)
-        , mail = mangle('mailto:') + href;
-      return '<a href="' + mail + '">' + href + '</a>';
+    function(__, href, at) {
+      if (at) {
+        // according to the markdown "spec"
+        // we need to mangle email addresses
+        var href = mangle(href)
+          , mail = mangle('mailto:') + href;
+        return '<a href="' + mail + '">' + href + '</a>';
+      }
+      return '<a href="' + href + '">' + href + '</a>';
     }
-    return '<a href="' + href + '">' + href + '</a>';
-  });
+  );
 
   // strong
   str = str.replace(/__([^_]+)__/g, '<strong>$1</strong>');
@@ -241,7 +240,7 @@ var inline = function(str) {
   str = str.replace(/\*([^*]+)\*/g, '<em>$1</em>');
 
   // code
-  str = str.replace(/`([^`]+)`/g, function(_, s) {
+  str = str.replace(/`([^`]+)`/g, function(__, s) {
     return '<code>' + escape(s) + '</code>';
   });
 
@@ -255,7 +254,8 @@ var inline = function(str) {
  * Parsing
  */
 
-var tokens;
+var tokens
+  , token;
 
 var next = function() {
   return token = tokens.pop();
@@ -330,7 +330,6 @@ var parse = function(src) {
 
   tokens = null;
   token = null;
-  links = null;
 
   return out.join(' ');
 };