Kelly Jolley, philosophy professor, has written a book of poetry titled “Stony Lonesome.”
Jolley said the poems in the book are inspired by the Noble Hall historic plantation home on Shelton Mill Road in Auburn, formerly known as Stony Lonesome.
“Most of the poems are about the place itself and people I’ve known who have lived there throughout the years,” Jolley said.
Jolley said his walks with former resident and Auburn University emeriti English professor Ward Allen on the farm at Stony Lonesome inspired many of the poems in his book.
“Stony Lonesome” was published by New Plains Press publisher Johnny Summerfield, who said what made him want to publish the book was how it dealt with questions of philosophy, language and religion in its descriptions of experiences at Stony Lonesome.
“Philosophers create their knowledge through experience,” Summerfield said.
According to Jolley, his passion for writing poetry and his career as a philosophy professor are linked by his admiration for good writing.
“I like philosophers who are concerned with writing well,” Jolley said. “They have influenced me the most. The poetry I write reflects that I’m a philosopher by day both in its subject matter, its characteristic concern and its conception of poetry in itself. I’ve always thought of what I do, whether it be philosophy or poetry, as primarily about writing.”
Jolley said the style of his poetry is concerned with moral character and self-examination.
“My poetry targets the moral imagination,” Jolley said. “I’m concerned with our sense of ourselves, our sense of ourselves in relation to others and our awareness of our virtues and vices.”
According to Jolley, setting present-day events in a historical environment gives a distinctive mood to the poems in “Stony Lonesome.”
“There’s a sort of local genius that radiates from Noble Hall,” Jolley said. “The experiences described in the poems participate in that mood.”
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Joseph Aistrup said he highly recommends Jolley’s book.
“I heard Dr. Jolley read some of his poetry at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities and bought a copy of the book myself,” Aistrup said. “I think people will enjoy the tenor, tempo and prose.”
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