diff --git a/src/pure.lua b/src/pure.lua
index db4b93c..4efabe5 100644
--- a/src/pure.lua
+++ b/src/pure.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ local M = {}
 
 local err = require 'err'
 
+local __string_gmatch = string.gmatch
 local __math_floor = math.floor
+local __table_insert = table.insert
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- zippy functions
@@ -175,6 +177,14 @@ M.table_array = function(tbl)
    return r
 end
 
+M.gmatch_table = function(pat, s)
+   local r = {}
+   for m in __string_gmatch(s, pat) do
+      __table_insert(r, m)
+   end
+   return r
+end
+
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- functional functions