diff --git a/kkdisp/src/token.rs b/kkdisp/src/token.rs
index 50c9e24..274553e 100644
--- a/kkdisp/src/token.rs
+++ b/kkdisp/src/token.rs
@@ -8,16 +8,37 @@ pub enum Token {
     CharPad(Box<Token>, char, usize),
     Fg(Box<Token>, Color),
     Bg(Box<Token>, Color),
-    String(String),
+    String(Box<Token>, String),
+    End,
 }
 
 impl From<String> for Token {
     fn from(value: String) -> Self {
-        Token::String(value)
+        Self::text(value)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<&str> for Token {
+    fn from(value: &str) -> Self {
+        Self::text(value)
     }
 }
 
 impl Token {
+    pub fn text<T>(t: T) -> Self
+    where
+        T: Into<String>,
+    {
+        Self::End.string(t)
+    }
+
+    pub fn string<S>(self, s: S) -> Self
+    where
+        S: Into<String>,
+    {
+        Token::String(Box::new(self), s.into())
+    }
+
     pub fn centered(self) -> Self {
         Self::Centered(Box::new(self))
     }
@@ -31,7 +52,17 @@ impl Token {
     }
 
     pub fn str_len(&self) -> usize {
-        self.walk_to_end().len()
+        match self {
+            Token::String(t, s) => s.len() + t.str_len(),
+            Token::Fg(t, _) => t.str_len(),
+            Token::Bg(t, _) => t.str_len(),
+            Token::Centered(t) => t.str_len(),
+            Token::Limited(t, lim) => (*lim).min(t.str_len()),
+            Token::CharPad(t, _, pad_to) => {
+                (*pad_to).max(t.str_len())
+            }
+            Token::End => 0,
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn pad_char(self, c: char, pad_to: usize) -> Self {
@@ -46,38 +77,25 @@ impl Token {
         Self::Bg(Box::new(self), c)
     }
 
-    fn walk_to_end(&self) -> &String {
-        match self {
-            Token::String(s) => s,
-            Token::Fg(t, _) => t.walk_to_end(),
-            Token::Bg(t, _) => t.walk_to_end(),
-            Token::Centered(t) => t.walk_to_end(),
-            Token::Limited(t, _) => t.walk_to_end(),
-            Token::CharPad(t, _, _) => t.walk_to_end(),
-        }
-    }
-
     fn with_width(self, width: usize) -> Vec<Component> {
         match self {
-            Token::String(s) => vec![Component::String(s)],
-            Token::Centered(cnt) => cnt
-                .with_width(width)
+            Token::String(t, s) => vec![Component::String(s)]
                 .into_iter()
-                .map(|comp| {
-                    if let Component::String(s) = comp {
-                        let str_len = s.len();
-                        let x = if str_len > width {
-                            0
-                        } else {
-                            (width - str_len) / 2
-                        };
-                        vec![Component::X(x), Component::String(s)]
-                    } else {
-                        vec![comp]
-                    }
-                })
-                .flatten()
+                .chain(t.with_width(width))
                 .collect(),
+            Token::Centered(cnt) => {
+                let mut str_len = cnt.str_len();
+                let components = if str_len > width {
+                    str_len = width;
+                    cnt.limited(width).with_width(width)
+                } else {
+                    cnt.with_width(width)
+                };
+                vec![Component::X((width - str_len) / 2)]
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .chain(components)
+                    .collect()
+            }
             Token::Limited(s, lim) => s
                 .with_width(width)
                 .into_iter()
@@ -116,6 +134,7 @@ impl Token {
                 .into_iter()
                 .chain(t.with_width(width))
                 .collect(),
+            Token::End => vec![],
         }
     }
 }
@@ -130,29 +149,25 @@ mod tests {
         vec![
             (
                 "string -> string",
-                Token::String("hello".into()),
+                Token::text("hello"),
                 vec![Component::String("hello".into())],
             ),
             (
                 "string -> limited",
-                Token::String(
-                    "This string is too long for this!".into(),
-                )
-                .limited(4),
+                Token::text("This string is too long for this!")
+                    .limited(4),
                 vec![Component::String("This".into())],
             ),
             (
                 "string -> limit -> pad_to",
-                Token::String(
-                    "This string is too long, but some".into(),
-                )
-                .limited(10)
-                .padded(15),
+                Token::text("This string is too long, but some")
+                    .limited(10)
+                    .padded(15),
                 vec![Component::String("This strin     ".into())],
             ),
             (
                 "center limited string",
-                Token::String("Ahhh this won't go far".into())
+                Token::text("Ahhh this won't go far")
                     .limited(10)
                     .centered(),
                 vec![
@@ -162,9 +177,7 @@ mod tests {
             ),
             (
                 "padded string with underscores is centered",
-                Token::String("It was...".into())
-                    .pad_char('_', 15)
-                    .centered(),
+                Token::text("It was...").pad_char('_', 15).centered(),
                 vec![
                     Component::X((WIDTH - 15) / 2),
                     Component::String("It was...______".into()),
@@ -172,7 +185,7 @@ mod tests {
             ),
             (
                 "prefixes color",
-                Token::String("this is red".into()).fg(Color::RED),
+                Token::text("this is red").fg(Color::RED),
                 vec![
                     Component::Fg(Color::RED),
                     Component::String("this is red".into()),
@@ -180,9 +193,7 @@ mod tests {
             ),
             (
                 "color at beginning of line",
-                Token::String("colored".into())
-                    .centered()
-                    .bg(Color::RED),
+                Token::text("colored").centered().bg(Color::RED),
                 vec![
                     Component::Bg(Color::RED),
                     Component::X((WIDTH - 7) / 2),
@@ -191,7 +202,7 @@ mod tests {
             ),
             (
                 "color isnt part of limit",
-                Token::String("ten chars!".into())
+                Token::text("ten chars!")
                     .bg(Color::RED)
                     .fg(Color::GREEN)
                     .bg(Color::BLUE)
@@ -205,6 +216,25 @@ mod tests {
                     Component::String("ten chars!".into()),
                 ],
             ),
+            (
+                "multicolor string centered",
+                Token::text("end")
+                    .fg(Color::RED)
+                    .string("mid")
+                    .fg(Color::BLUE)
+                    .string("start")
+                    .fg(Color::GREEN)
+                    .centered(),
+                vec![
+                    Component::X(0),
+                    Component::Fg(Color::GREEN),
+                    Component::String("start".into()),
+                    Component::Fg(Color::BLUE),
+                    Component::String("mid".into()),
+                    Component::Fg(Color::RED),
+                    Component::String("end".into()),
+                ],
+            ),
         ]
         .into_iter()
         .for_each(|test| {