Volume 28 Issue 1

Authors

Abstract

This issue of Nebo: A Literary Journal, published in Fall 2013, explores the interplay between literature and music, featuring poetry and fiction that reflect the rhythmic nature of storytelling and the influence of sound in writing. The issue, archived as Volume 28, Issue 1, corresponds to the print edition labeled Volume 32, Issue 1. Due to necessary metadata adjustments in the digital archiving process, some volume and issue numbers in the online collection may not match those printed in the original journals.

In her editorial preface, Allissa Hertz, serving in her first and only semester as editor, reflects on the influence of music on this issue’s curation. She describes how the Nebo editorial office, situated near the music department, often resonates with the sounds of orchestras and bands rehearsing. This environment, combined with a growing music scene in Russellville, AR, inspired an issue that, in Hertz’s words, “produces its own song” through its arrangement of poetry and prose that explore themes of sound, harmony, and artistic expression.

Key highlights include:

• "The Sound Called Music" by Evan Guilford-Blake, a story about a man navigating relationships and identity in a world driven by sound and movement.

• "Humid Blues" by Roy J. Beckemeyer, a poem capturing the sultry, atmospheric energy of the Mississippi Delta’s blues scene.

• "Stevie Nicks 82’" by Erik Pecukonis, a lyrical exploration of nostalgia, celebrity, and the passage of time.

• "The Ghost of Elvis" by Nancy Ellis Taylor, a humorous and surreal piece about an Elvis fan awaiting a spectral visit from the King himself.

• "Da Capo" by Dustin Jackson, a reflection on life as a musical composition, balancing control and improvisation.

• "A Beautiful Machine" by Michelle Castleberry, a poem that transforms a saxophone into a living, breathing entity through its powerful description.

• "Beep Boop" by Patrick Mahoney, an experimental poem capturing the repetitive, hypnotic nature of video game music.

• "House of the Rising Sun" by Dr. William Miller, a historical and contemporary reflection on the famous song and its connections to place and memory.

This issue of Nebo celebrates the rich connection between literature and sound, using words to capture rhythm, melody, and harmony in ways that transcend traditional storytelling.

Recommended Citation

(2025) "Volume 28 Issue 1," NEBO: A Literary Journal: Vol. 28: Iss. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://orc.library.atu.edu/nebo/vol28/iss1/1