A RETIRED Faslane submariner has released a book 60 years after picking up the pen to write his first poem.

At only 15-years-old, Michael Furniss moved away from his hometown in Essex to join the Royal Navy, and then at 22 went on to serve on the submarines at Helensburgh's naval base. 

He began writing poetry as a way of coping with the long hours being away from home and his loved ones.

And during his time there he wrote his first poem titled The Candle which explores the deeper meaning behind its existence.

The 75-year-old told the Advertiser: “When you are underwater for two or three months at a time, you have no contact with your loved ones or anything. It is impossible to explain how that feels.

“And I found that when you were off watch at sea there was not really that much to do, so I started writing poetry. My first poem was called the Candle which describes how it flickers and how when it dies out it doesn’t lose anybody.

“I love writing about difficult topics like death or love in a creative way for people to have a personal understanding. But at the same time I also do enjoy creating fantasy worlds with dragons, mermaids and unicorns through my work.”

Michael moved onto a career in health and safety management after his naval life, but writing poetry was never forgotten about.

And after much persuasion from family, friends and an ex-librarian all of whom he gave a handmade book of his poems, he decided to publish his first book called Poems of Love and Fantasy.

“I had written pieces here and there, but I really picked it back up when I retired”, he admitted.

"The feeling of having your own book is amazing. I never thought I would have them published because I thought there were never good enough. It really does take the voices of others to boost your own self-confidence."

Feeling the creativity the former Helensburgh resident doesn’t plan to stop at one book. He has plans for more projects in the near future.

He added: “I have another 20 poems or so ready to go into another book. I never thought I would have my own book, but here we are. I can only hope that people who decide to purchase a copy can relate to them or at least enjoy them.

“I am always at Auntie’s Tea Shop in Dumbarton so please never feel afraid to come up to me for a chat.”

Poems of Love and Fantasy is available to buy from Auntie’s Tea Shop in Dumbarton, and online from all major bookstores and Amazon.