reading Bedouin Hornbook by Nathaniel Mackey. published as part of the Callaloo Fiction Series. to put it under the imprimatur of fiction kind of diminishes it. I guess those distinctions just seem too fussy (id est: but is it poetry?????). obviously there is a fictional element in it, but to think of it as a story doesn't carry enough of what the writing is. I am not expert on jazz, can't pick up on much of what NM writes, but I like the thoughtfulness. Michael Franco's work comes to mind. that is more a story. I've seen Franco read twice. the first time, he sang "St. Stephen", which I was iffy about, just on principle. the 2nd time, he mentioned QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, which excited me so much that when par chance I ended up sitting near him in a bar in a group from the reading, I let go native shyness and burbled about QMS. anyway, I'd love to hear Mackey's music. I've read a little of Cecil Taylor's writing and liked it. I mean I liked it for coming out of the music, or coming from the same place as. I wish I were musical, knowledgeable thus, for I miss the subtleties. I seriously demur at distinctions like poetry or fiction. I'm interested in writing. which is what I meant by my words recently about Freud. Freud's a writer, and the interest I take evolves out of his work at writing.