def flatten_maps(*args, **kwargs):
    '''
    flatten_maps(*args, **kwags) yields a tuple of the maps in the given arguments; this flattens
      over lists and iterables so long as all elements eventually yield True to is_map(el). The
      optional keyword arguments passed make up the final map.

    This funtion does not evaluate any values of any of the maps and thus implicitly respects the
    laziness of the provided maps.
    '''
    def _recur(arg, work):
        if is_map(arg): work.append(arg)
        elif is_str(arg) or not hasattr(arg, '__iter__'):
            raise ValueError('Non-map given to flatten_maps')
        else:
            for a in arg: _recur(a, work)
    res = []
    for arg in args: _recur(arg, res)
    if len(kwargs) > 0: res.append(kwargs)
    return tuple(res)