diff --git a/exercises/practice/proverb/.meta/example.s b/exercises/practice/proverb/.meta/example.s
index a043980..4524c1f 100644
--- a/exercises/practice/proverb/.meta/example.s
+++ b/exercises/practice/proverb/.meta/example.s
@@ -6,20 +6,25 @@ and: .string "And all for the want of a ";
 end: .string ".\n";
 
 .macro APPEND str
+        adrp    x5, \str
+        add     x5, x5, :lo12:\str
+        bl      append
+.endm
 
-.copy_\str:
+.text
+.globl recite
+
+append:
         ldrb    w6, [x5], #1            /* load byte, with post-increment */
         strb    w6, [x0], #1            /* store byte, post-increment */
-        cbnz    w6, .copy_\str
+        cbnz    w6, append
 
         sub     x0, x0, #1
-.endm
-
-.text
-.globl recite
+        ret
 
 /* extern void recite(char *buffer, const char **strings); */
 recite:
+        mov     x7, lr
         mov     x2, x1
         ldr     x3, [x2], #8            /* load, post-increment */
         cbz     x3, .empty
@@ -28,39 +33,31 @@ recite:
         ldr     x4, [x2], #8            /* load, post-increment */
         cbz     x4, .last
 
-        adrp    x5, for
-        add     x5, x5, :lo12:for
         APPEND  for
 
         mov     x5, x3
-        APPEND  cause
+        bl      append
 
-        adrp    x5, the
-        add     x5, x5, :lo12:the
         APPEND  the
 
         mov     x5, x4
-        APPEND  effect
+        bl      append
 
-        adrp    x5, was
-        add     x5, x5, :lo12:was
         APPEND  was
 
         mov     x3, x4
         b       .next_line
 
 .last:
-        adrp    x5, and
-        add     x5, x5, :lo12:and
         APPEND  and
 
         ldr     x5, [x1]
-        APPEND  first
+        bl      append
 
-        adrp    x5, end
-        add     x5, x5, :lo12:end
         APPEND  end
 
+        mov     lr, x7
+
 .empty:
         strb    wzr, [x0]
         ret