diff --git a/lang/ninja/src/ninja.sld b/lang/ninja/src/ninja.sld
index f9c5bab..bd6ebdb 100644
--- a/lang/ninja/src/ninja.sld
+++ b/lang/ninja/src/ninja.sld
@@ -376,6 +376,21 @@
       (parse-variable)
       rule)
 
+    (define (read-pool)
+      (define name (read-token))
+      (unless (string? name) (error "reading pool: expected valid ident, found" name))
+      (unless (expect-token 'newline) (error "reading pool: expected name to be followed by newline"))
+      (define (parse-variable)
+        (define name #f)
+        (define contents #f)
+        (when (expect-token 'indent)
+         (set! name (read-token))
+         (unless (string? name) (error "reading pool: expected name, found" name))
+         (unless (expect-token 'equals) (error "reading poolo: expected equals, found" (read-token)))
+         (set! contents (read-eval-string-text #f))
+         (parse-variable)))
+      (parse-variable))
+
     (define (read-build-edge file)
       (define (read-list tail)
         (define eval-string (try-read-eval-string-text #t))
@@ -409,6 +424,8 @@
         (define contents #f)
         (when (expect-token 'indent)
          (set! name (read-token))
+         (when (eq? name 'pool) (set! name "pool")) ; uh. how is this supposed to work
+
          (unless (string? name) (error "reading build edge var: expected name, found" name))
          (unless (expect-token 'equals) (error "reading build edge var: expected equals, found" (read-token)))
          (set! contents (resolve-evalstring (read-eval-string-text #f) file #f #f #f))
@@ -430,7 +447,7 @@
        ((default)
         (do () ((expect-token 'newline)) (set-build-file-default-targets! file (cons (resolve-evalstring (read-eval-string-text #t) file #f #f #f) (build-file-default-targets file)))))
        ((subninja include) (error "todo: includes"))
-       ((pool) (error "todo: pool declaration"))
+       ((pool) (read-pool) (read-toplevel file))
        ((newline) (read-toplevel file))
        (else
          (unless (string? token) (error "unexpected" (list token i)))