I guess my first step is to create an array by splitting on

No, use any of XML::Simple, XML::Twig, XML::Rules, XML::LibXML ...

example on using any of site:perlmonks.org "use XML::Simple", site:perlmonks.org "use XML::Twig", site:perlmonks.org "use XML::Rules", site:perlmonks.org "use XML::LibXML" ...

use Data::Dumper;
my $xml = <<'__XML__';
<junk>
  <item>
    <key1>someValue</key1>
    <key2>someValue</key2>
    <key3>someValue</key3>
    <key4>someValue</key4>
  </item>
  <item>
    <key1>someValue</key1>
    <key2>someValue</key2>
    <key3>someValue</key3>
    <key4>someValue</key4>
  </item>
  <item>
    <key1>someValue</key1>
    <key2>someValue</key2>
    <key3>someValue</key3>
    <key4>someValue</key4>
  </item>
</junk>
__XML__

use XML::Simple;
print Dumper( XMLin( $xml ) );
__END__
$VAR1 = {
          'item' => [
                    {
                      'key2' => 'someValue',
                      'key4' => 'someValue',
                      'key1' => 'someValue',
                      'key3' => 'someValue'
                    },
                    {
                      'key2' => 'someValue',
                      'key4' => 'someValue',
                      'key1' => 'someValue',
                      'key3' => 'someValue'
                    },
                    {
                      'key2' => 'someValue',
                      'key4' => 'someValue',
                      'key1' => 'someValue',
                      'key3' => 'someValue'
                    }
                  ]
        };

$
[download]