ESQL Guru? Need Help!

In a stored procedure, I can use a single insert/select statement to copy one table to another and .... LET x = ...; INSERT INTO table1 SELECT x, y FROM table2 ...; Where x is a local variable, and y is a column name of table2. Since it is a stored procedure, "x" does not need ":", and the above program works. How do I accomplish the same thing in ESQL/C? Sorry, I don't have 4GL and any other tools. If x is a variable (or host variable), it must have ":" in front, yet only where clause accept host variables. Help!!! Chao