diff --git a/hy/compilers/__init__.py b/hy/compilers/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f8a9c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hy/compilers/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2012 Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@debian.org>
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+# copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+# to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+# the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+# and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+# Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+# all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
+# THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+# FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+# DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+class HyCompiler(object):
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/hy/compilers/ast.py b/hy/compilers/ast.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..437acf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hy/compilers/ast.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2012 Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@debian.org>
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+# copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+# to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+# the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+# and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+# Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+# all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
+# THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+# FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+# DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+
diff --git a/hy/lex/states.py b/hy/lex/states.py
index a2e4fbd..5b8de70 100644
--- a/hy/lex/states.py
+++ b/hy/lex/states.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ from hy.models.string import HyString
 
 from hy.errors import HyError
 
+from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
+
 
 WHITESPACE = [" ", "\t", "\n", "\r"]
 
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ class State(object):
     """
 
     __slots__ = ("nodes", "machine")
+    __metaclass__ = ABCMeta
 
     def __init__(self, machine):
         self.machine = machine
@@ -75,14 +78,15 @@ class State(object):
         """
         Overridable ``enter`` routines. Subclasses may implement this.
         """
-        pass  # ABC
+        pass
 
     def exit(self):
         """
         Overridable ``exit`` routines. Subclasses may implement this.
         """
-        pass  # ABC
+        pass
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def process(self, char):
         """
         Overridable ``process`` routines. Subclasses must implement this to be