diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d485cbc..d149047 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ TEMPLATES := $(shell find src/ -type f)
 msg = $(if $(tprint),$(call tprint,{a.bold}==> {a.magenta}$(1){a.end}),@echo '==> $(1)')
 
 
-### task.mk development | args: -d -ms b_green --align center
-## bootstrap | generate local dev environment
+### task.mk development |> -d -ms b_green --align center
+## bootstrap | generate local dev environment |> -ms b_magenta -gs b_cyan
 .PHONY: bootstrap env hooks
 bootstrap: env hooks
 env: 
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ hooks:
 	@git config core.hooksPath .githooks
 docs-env:
 	@mamba run -p ./env pip install mkdocs-material mkdocs-git-revision-date-localized-plugin
+
 ## l, lint | lint the python
 .PHONY: l lint
 l lint:
diff --git a/src/help.py b/src/help.py
index 34e22a7..eeae323 100644
--- a/src/help.py
+++ b/src/help.py
@@ -20,8 +20,31 @@ a = ansi = Ansi(target="stdout")
 MaxLens = namedtuple("MaxLens", "goal msg")
 
 ###- double dollar signs to prevent make escaping them -###
+###- re.X requires all important whitespace is escaped -###
 pattern = re.compile(
-    r"^## (?P<goal>.*?) \| (?P<msg>.*?)(?:\s?\| args: (?P<msgargs>.*?))?$$|^### (?P<rawmsg>.*?)?(?:\s?\| args: (?P<rawargs>.*?))?$$"
+   r"""
+    ^\#\#\ 
+    (?P<goal>.*?)\s?\|\s?(?P<msg>.*?)
+    \s?
+    (?:
+      (?:\|\s?args:\s?|\|>)
+      \s?
+      (?P<msgargs>.*?)
+    )?
+    $$
+    |
+    ^\#\#\#\ 
+    (?P<rawmsg>.*?)
+    \s?
+    (?:
+      (?:\|\s?args:|\|\>)
+      \s?
+      (?P<rawargs>.*?)
+    )?
+    $$
+    """
+    ,re.X
+
 )
 goal_pattern = re.compile(r"""^(?!#|\t)(.*):.*\n\t""", re.MULTILINE)
 
diff --git a/task.mk b/task.mk
index f077f19..23f6e9f 100644
--- a/task.mk
+++ b/task.mk
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # }> [github.com/daylinmorgan/task.mk] <{ #
 # Copyright (c) 2022 Daylin Morgan
 # MIT License
-# version: v22.9.28-5-g83fe41d-dev
+# version: v22.9.28-7-gfa977c4-dev
 #
 # task.mk should be included at the bottom of your Makefile with `-include .task.mk`
 # See below for the standard configuration options that should be set prior to including this file.
@@ -91,10 +91,27 @@ $(utils_py)
 a = ansi = Ansi(target="stdout")
 MaxLens = namedtuple("MaxLens", "goal msg")
 pattern = re.compile(
-    r"""
-    ^\#\#\ (?P<goal>.*?)\ \|\ (?P<msg>.*?)(?:\s?\|\ args:\ (?P<msgargs>.*?))?$$
+   r"""
+    ^\#\#\ 
+    (?P<goal>.*?)\s?\|\s?(?P<msg>.*?)
+    \s?
+    (?:
+      (?:\|\s?args:\s?|\|>)
+      \s?
+      (?P<msgargs>.*?)
+    )?
+    $$
     |
-    ^\#\#\#\ (?P<rawmsg>.*?)?(?:\s?\|\ args:\ (?P<rawargs>.*?))?$$"""
+    ^\#\#\#\ 
+    (?P<rawmsg>.*?)
+    \s?
+    (?:
+      (?:\|\s?args:|\|\>)
+      \s?
+      (?P<rawargs>.*?)
+    )?
+    $$
+    """
     ,re.X
 )
 goal_pattern = re.compile(r"""^(?!#|\t)(.*):.*\n\t""", re.MULTILINE)