diff --git a/assets/test_prelude.ld b/assets/test_prelude.ld
index e37673f..579c748 100644
--- a/assets/test_prelude.ld
+++ b/assets/test_prelude.ld
@@ -1052,125 +1052,126 @@ let turtle_init = #{
 & turtle_commands is a list of commands, expressed as tuples
 box turtle_commands = []
 box turtle_state = turtle_init
+box turtle_states = #{:turtle_0 turtle_init}
 box command_id = 0
 
 fn apply_command
 
-fn add_command! (command) -> {
+fn add_command! (turtle_id, command) -> {
 	let idx = unbox (command_id)
 	update! (command_id, inc)
-	update! (turtle_commands, append (_, (:turtle_0, idx, command)))
-	let prev = unbox (turtle_state)
+	update! (turtle_commands, append (_, (turtle_id, idx, command)))
+	let prev = do turtle_states > unbox > turtle_id
 	let curr = apply_command (prev, command)
-	store! (turtle_state, curr)
+	update! (turtle_states, assoc (_, turtle_id, curr))
 	:ok
 }
 
 fn forward! {
 	"Moves the turtle forward by a number of steps. Alias: fd!"
-	(steps as :number) -> add_command! ((:forward, steps))
+	(steps as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:forward, steps))
 }
 
 let fd! = forward!
 
 fn back! {
 	"Moves the turtle backward by a number of steps. Alias: bk!"
-	(steps as :number) -> add_command! ((:back, steps))
+	(steps as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:back, steps))
 }
 
 let bk! = back!
 
 fn left! {
 	"Rotates the turtle left, measured in turns. Alias: lt!"
-	(turns as :number) -> add_command! ((:left, turns))
+	(turns as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:left, turns))
 }
 
 let lt! = left!
 
 fn right! {
 	"Rotates the turtle right, measured in turns. Alias: rt!"
-	(turns as :number) -> add_command! ((:right, turns))
+	(turns as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:right, turns))
 }
 
 let rt! = right!
 
 fn penup! {
 	"Lifts the turtle's pen, stopping it from drawing. Alias: pu!"
-	() -> add_command! ((:penup))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:penup))
 }
 
 let pu! = penup!
 
 fn pendown! {
 	"Lowers the turtle's pen, causing it to draw. Alias: pd!"
-	() -> add_command! ((:pendown))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:pendown))
 }
 
 let pd! = pendown!
 
 fn pencolor! {
 	"Changes the turtle's pen color. Takes a single grayscale value, an rgb tuple, or an rgba tuple. Alias: pc!"
-	(color as :keyword) -> add_command! ((:pencolor, color))
-	(gray as :number) -> add_command! ((:pencolor, (gray, gray, gray, 255)))
-	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number)) -> add_command! ((:pencolor, (r, g, b, 255)))
-	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number, a as :number)) -> add_command! ((:pencolor, (r, g, b, a)))
+	(color as :keyword) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:pencolor, color))
+	(gray as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:pencolor, (gray, gray, gray, 255)))
+	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number)) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:pencolor, (r, g, b, 255)))
+	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number, a as :number)) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:pencolor, (r, g, b, a)))
 }
 
 let pc! = pencolor!
 
 fn penwidth! {
 	"Sets the width of the turtle's pen, measured in pixels. Alias: pw!"
-	(width as :number) -> add_command! ((:penwidth, width))
+	(width as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:penwidth, width))
 }
 
 let pw! = penwidth!
 
 fn background! {
 	"Sets the background color behind the turtle and path. Alias: bg!"
-	(color as :keyword) -> add_command! ((:background, color))
-	(gray as :number) -> add_command! ((:background, (gray, gray, gray, 255)))
-	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number)) -> add_command! ((:background, (r, g, b, 255)))
-	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number, a as :number)) -> add_command! ((:background, (r, g, b, a)))
+	(color as :keyword) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:background, color))
+	(gray as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:background, (gray, gray, gray, 255)))
+	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number)) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:background, (r, g, b, 255)))
+	((r as :number, g as :number, b as :number, a as :number)) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:background, (r, g, b, a)))
 }
 
 let bg! = background!
 
 fn home! {
 	"Sends the turtle home: to the centre of the screen, pointing up. If the pen is down, the turtle will draw a path to home."
-	() -> add_command! ((:home))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:home))
 }
 
 fn clear! {
 	"Clears the canvas and sends the turtle home."
-	() -> add_command! ((:clear))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:clear))
 }
 
 fn goto! {
 	"Sends the turtle to (x, y) coordinates. If the pen is down, the turtle will draw a path to its new location."
-	(x as :number, y as :number) -> add_command! ((:goto, (x, y)))
+	(x as :number, y as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:goto, (x, y)))
 	((x, y)) -> goto! (x, y)
 }
 
 fn setheading! {
 	"Sets the turtle's heading. The angle is specified in turns, with 0 pointing up. Increasing values rotate the turtle counter-clockwise."
-	(heading as :number) -> add_command! ((:setheading, heading))
+	(heading as :number) -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:setheading, heading))
 }
 
 fn showturtle! {
 	"If the turtle is hidden, shows the turtle. If the turtle is already visible, does nothing."
-	() -> add_command! ((:show))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:show))
 }
 
 fn hideturtle! {
 	"If the turtle is visible, hides it. If the turtle is already hidden, does nothing."
-	() -> add_command! ((:hide))
+	() -> add_command! (:turtle_0, (:hide))
 }
 
 fn loadstate! {
 	"Sets the turtle state to a previously saved state."
 	(state) -> {
 		let #{position, heading, pendown?, pencolor, penwidth, visible?} = state
-		add_command! ((:loadstate, position, heading, visible?, pendown?, penwidth, pencolor))
+		add_command! (:turtle_0, (:loadstate, position, heading, visible?, pendown?, penwidth, pencolor))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1214,27 +1215,27 @@ fn apply_command {
 & position () -> (x, y)
 fn position {
 	"Returns the turtle's current position."
-	() -> do turtle_state > unbox > :position
+	() -> do turtle_states > unbox > :turtle_0 > :position
 }
 
 fn heading {
 	"Returns the turtle's current heading."
-	() -> do turtle_state > unbox > :heading
+	() -> do turtle_states > unbox > :turtle_0 > :heading
 }
 
 fn pendown? {
 	"Returns the turtle's pen state: true if the pen is down."
-	() -> do turtle_state > unbox > :pendown?
+	() -> do turtle_states > unbox > :turtle_0 > :pendown?
 }
 
 fn pencolor {
 	"Returns the turtle's pen color as an (r, g, b, a) tuple or keyword."
-	() -> do turtle_state > unbox > :pencolor
+	() -> do turtle_states > unbox > :turtle_0 > :pencolor
 }
 
 fn penwidth {
 	"Returns the turtle's pen width in pixels."
-	() -> do turtle_state > unbox > :penwidth
+	() -> do turtle_states > unbox > :turtle_0 > :penwidth
 }
 
 &&& fake some lispisms with tuples
diff --git a/may_2025_thoughts.md b/may_2025_thoughts.md
index be540bb..425fa1e 100644
--- a/may_2025_thoughts.md
+++ b/may_2025_thoughts.md
@@ -1248,6 +1248,6 @@ We can revisit the idea of a special spawn form later.
 And now, we build capacity for building projects.
 
 * [ ] allow for multiple turtles
-    - [ ] rework p5 function in `ludus.js` to properly parse commands targeted at different turtles
+    - [x] rework p5 function in `ludus.js` to properly parse commands targeted at different turtles
     - [ ] write ludus code to spawn & manipulate turtle actors
 * [ ] do some sample multiturtle sketches
diff --git a/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm b/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm
index 9511fd3..af2293c 100644
Binary files a/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm and b/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm differ
diff --git a/src/vm.rs b/src/vm.rs
index f1d8a09..b2c3300 100644
--- a/src/vm.rs
+++ b/src/vm.rs
@@ -1117,6 +1117,14 @@ impl Creature {
                             self.call_stack.push(frame);
                             self.ip = 0;
                         }
+                        Value::Keyword(key) => {
+                            let dict = self.pop();
+                            match dict {
+                                Value::Dict(d) => self
+                                    .push(d.get(&Key::Keyword(key)).unwrap_or(&Value::Nil).clone()),
+                                _ => self.push(Value::Nil),
+                            }
+                        }
                         _ => {
                             return self.panic_with(format!("{} is not a function", called.show()))
                         }
@@ -1229,6 +1237,15 @@ impl Creature {
                             self.call_stack.push(frame);
                             self.ip = 0;
                         }
+                        Value::Keyword(key) => {
+                            let dict = self.pop();
+                            match dict {
+                                Value::Dict(d) => self
+                                    .push(d.get(&Key::Keyword(key)).unwrap_or(&Value::Nil).clone()),
+                                _ => self.push(Value::Nil),
+                            }
+                        }
+
                         _ => {
                             return self.panic_with(format!("{} is not a function", called.show()))
                         }