diff --git a/src/compare/diff.rs b/src/compare/diff.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6bd231c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compare/diff.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+use super::sexp::Token;
+use crate::parser::Document;
+
+pub fn compare_document<'s>(
+    emacs: &'s Token<'s>,
+    rust: &'s Document<'s>,
+) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    compare_document_indented(0, emacs, rust)
+}
+
+fn compare_document_indented<'s>(
+    indentation: usize,
+    emacs: &'s Token<'s>,
+    rust: &'s Document<'s>,
+) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let children = emacs.as_list()?;
+    let first_child = children.first().ok_or("Should have at least one child")?;
+    let first_child_text = first_child.as_atom()?;
+    if first_child_text != "org-data" {
+        return Err("Document should correspond to an org-data cell.".into());
+    }
+    // TODO: compare the children
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/compare/mod.rs b/src/compare/mod.rs
index d364ed7..4dbb825 100644
--- a/src/compare/mod.rs
+++ b/src/compare/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+mod diff;
 mod error;
 mod parse;
 mod sexp;
+pub use diff::compare_document;
 pub use parse::emacs_parse_org_document;
 pub use sexp::sexp;
diff --git a/src/compare/sexp.rs b/src/compare/sexp.rs
index 4da408d..5257940 100644
--- a/src/compare/sexp.rs
+++ b/src/compare/sexp.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,22 @@ pub struct TextWithProperties<'s> {
     properties: Vec<Token<'s>>,
 }
 
+impl<'s> Token<'s> {
+    pub fn as_list<'p>(&'p self) -> Result<&'p Vec<Token<'s>>, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+        Ok(match self {
+            Token::List(children) => Ok(children),
+            _ => Err("wrong token type"),
+        }?)
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_atom<'p>(&'p self) -> Result<&'s str, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+        Ok(match self {
+            Token::Atom(body) => Ok(*body),
+            _ => Err("wrong token type"),
+        }?)
+    }
+}
+
 #[tracing::instrument(ret, level = "debug")]
 pub fn sexp<'s>(input: &'s str) -> Res<&'s str, Token<'s>> {
     let (remaining, _) = multispace0(input)?;
diff --git a/src/org_compare.rs b/src/org_compare.rs
index 0182ce3..7249f47 100644
--- a/src/org_compare.rs
+++ b/src/org_compare.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,26 @@
 #![feature(round_char_boundary)]
 #![feature(exit_status_error)]
+use crate::compare::compare_document;
 use crate::init_tracing::init_telemetry;
 use crate::init_tracing::shutdown_telemetry;
+use crate::parser::document;
 use compare::emacs_parse_org_document;
 use compare::sexp;
 mod compare;
 mod init_tracing;
+mod parser;
 
 fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     init_telemetry()?;
-    let org_sexp = emacs_parse_org_document("./org_mode_samples/footnote_definition/simple.org")?;
+    let org_path = "./org_mode_samples/footnote_definition/simple.org";
+    let org_contents = std::fs::read_to_string(org_path)?;
+    let org_sexp = emacs_parse_org_document(org_path)?;
     println!("{}", org_sexp);
-    let parsed_sexp = sexp(org_sexp.as_str()).expect("Parse failure");
+    let (_remaining, parsed_sexp) = sexp(org_sexp.as_str()).expect("Sexp Parse failure");
     println!("{:#?}", parsed_sexp);
+    let (_remaining, rust_parsed) = document(org_contents.as_str()).expect("Org Parse failure");
+    println!("{:#?}", rust_parsed);
+    compare_document(&parsed_sexp, &rust_parsed)?;
     shutdown_telemetry()?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index 8f3915e..77672d8 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ mod plain_text;
 mod source;
 mod util;
 pub use document::document;
+pub use document::Document;
 type Context<'r, 's> = &'r parser_context::ContextTree<'r, 's>;