BLINDNESS and old age have not dimmed Jack Ashley’s passion for poetry, as evidenced by his second collection of verse.

Towards the Horizon features a varied and very personal collection of more than 180 poems, all of which were composed after Jack, 89, became blind.

He writes about the glories of the natural world, offers his personal observations on old age, gives insights into what it is like to be blind and contemplates love and loneliness.

John Randle Ashley, who is known as Jack, has lived in an independent living complex in Church Road, Northwich, for seven years after moving from Great Budworth.

He is a widower, and has been blind since 2001 as a result of macular degeneration.

He has written poetry all his life, and was able to give his writing more attention after taking early retirement at the age of 56 from ICI, where he was a personnel manager and had worked since he was 17.

His first collection of poetry, Through the Window, was published in 2007, and his second collection is due to be published by Book Guild on March 26.

He has had polio since the age of six months, which restricted his ability to take part in sports, and as a result he developed a keen eye as an observer of life as he grew up.

“The first poem I ever had published was in the Northwich Guardian just after end of the war,” said Jack.

“I was very young and it was very amateurish - it was called Rain. I have always written poetry, and just observe life.

“I believe in economy of words - that has always been a thing of mine, and what I would like to do is to bring poetry to the people.”

“I hope in my small way by what I am doing that people will read and enjoy poetry and learn a little bit.

“I like the challenge of finding the right words for my poems, and I will continue to write for as long as I can.

“The new book has serious and humorous poems, short and long ones, and there are a lot about feelings.

“There’s something for everyone, and I am trying to write a poem about what life is all about.”

Jack thanked his friends Margaret Broadhurst, Frank Blamey and Alan Taylor for their invaluable help in putting the new collection together.

The new collection will be available at all good book shops and online retailers.