gistfile1.clj

user> (let [m {:text "foo" :user {:name "alan" :handle "alanmalloy"}},
            mappings [[:data :text] [:username :user :name]]]
        (into {}
              (for [[to & from] mappings]
                [to (get-in m from)])))
{:data "foo", :username "alan"}


user> (let [m {:text "foo" :user {:name "alan" :handle "alanmalloy"}}]
        ;; assume the above was gotten externally
        (let [{{username :name} :user, data :text} m]
          [username data]))
["alan" "foo"]