define macro graph
 { graph ( ?connections:* ) }
    => { begin
           let g = make(<graph>);
           add-edges(g, list(?connections));
           g;
         end }

    connections:
    { } => { }
    { ?snode:name -> ?tnode:name ; ... } =>
      { ?"snode", ?"tnode" , ... }
    { ?snode:name -> ?tnode:name -> ?unode:name ; ... } =>
      { ?"snode", ?"tnode", ?"tnode", ?"unode", ... }
    { ?snode:name -> ?tnode:name -> ?unode:name -> ?vnode:name ; ... } =>
      { ?"snode", ?"tnode", ?"tnode", ?"unode", ?"unode", ?"vnode", ... }
end;

I would like to have only two rules in the connections auxiliary macro

define macro graph
 { graph ( ?edges:* ) }
    => { begin
           let g = make(<graph>);
           ?edges;
           add-edges(g, list(?connections));
           g;
         end }

    edges:
    { } => { }
    { ?connections ; ... } =>
      { add-edges(g, list(?connections)) }

    connections:
    { ?node:name } => { ?"node" }
    { ?node:name -> ... } { ?"node", ... }
end;

  let new-graph = graph ( foo -> bar -> boo; bluub -> foo );