Artist in the Spotlight: Robert Lenney
Finding Your Voice, One Line at a Time
A Pint with Ipswich Poet Robert Lenney
We sat down with Ipswich poet Robert Lenney over a pint at The Cricketers for a conversation about his craft, his journey, and the role creativity plays in everyday life.
Rob is one of those quietly familiar faces around Ipswich- a genuinely kind, thoughtful presence who seems to give as much as he creates. Whether it’s volunteering with Oxfam on Saturdays, supporting community initiatives, or previously being involved in English teaching programmes for Romanian learners, he’s someone rooted in connection.
He’s also an active poet, consistently writing, performing, and encouraging others to find their voice—something that comes through not just in his work, but in the way he speaks about it.
When we met, it was just after he’d received the difficult news that his friend, Richard May, had passed away. Richard, a dedicated drama teacher of over twenty years, had played an important role in Rob’s creative journey – helping him publish his first book and supporting his work early on. It felt only right to acknowledge that here.
Even in that moment, there was a sense of reflection in the conversation—about creativity, community, and the people who shape the paths we take.
What followed was an honest, grounded discussion about poetry, confidence, and why getting words onto paper can matter more than we realise.
Interview with Robert Lenney (Ipswich Poet)
Location: The Cricketers, Ipswich
Format: Poetry over a Pint.
Format: Poetry over a Pint.
Q: So Rob, when did you start writing poetry?
Rob:
I’ve loved poetry from an early age. I had a really good English teacher at school who introduced us to the war poets—Sassoon, Owen, that kind of thing—and that really hooked me.
I’ve loved poetry from an early age. I had a really good English teacher at school who introduced us to the war poets—Sassoon, Owen, that kind of thing—and that really hooked me.
I also got into the Romantics, the Beat poets, and everything else after that. It just sort of snowballs—the more you read, the more you hear, the more you write.
I’ve been writing properly for about twenty years now, and I still really enjoy it. I probably write two or three poems a week.
Q: So it wasn’t something you were doing consistently from childhood—it came a bit later?
Rob:
Yeah, exactly. It kind of came to the surface later on.
Yeah, exactly. It kind of came to the surface later on.
Anxiety played a part as well—it actually helped with that. It gave me confidence. Poetry’s a bit outside the norm these days, unfortunately, but writing it—and especially performing it—takes you a step further outside that.
But it also brings you back in, in a way. You connect with people, make friends, gain confidence. It becomes part of a community. I love it. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Q: So you’d encourage other people to start writing?
Rob:
Definitely. Don’t keep things bottled up—get it out. Write it down.
Definitely. Don’t keep things bottled up—get it out. Write it down.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just get it on paper. Then you can refine it, shape it, or share it—online or in person if you want to. It helps.
Q: What would you say to young writers or people just starting out with poetry?
Rob:
Just do it, really. Read as much as you can, write as much as you can.
Just do it, really. Read as much as you can, write as much as you can.
Write about whatever moves you—sunsets, politics, relationships, life, anything. It’s all valid.
And connect with other writers. Talk to people, go to events, build confidence. It all adds up.
Q: We’ve worked together a bit on performance before—because you’ve got a quieter delivery than some poets. How has that side of things developed for you?
Rob:
Yeah, sometimes it can be a challenge. It depends on the crowd, really. You’ve got to read the room and adjust.
Yeah, sometimes it can be a challenge. It depends on the crowd, really. You’ve got to read the room and adjust.
Take your time with it. Let the words land. Sit in the moment a bit more.
It’s about making your personal experience something that other people can connect to—bringing everyone into it.
Q: What’s your personal journey been like—from writing privately to performing live and putting work out there?
Rob:
It’s been an ongoing experiment, really. Just pushing yourself, trying new things, meeting people, finding different ways to do it.
It’s been an ongoing experiment, really. Just pushing yourself, trying new things, meeting people, finding different ways to do it.
That all helps. You grow into it.
It’s hard at first—standing in front of strangers and sharing something personal—but people are usually really supportive. Everyone starts off nervous.
And the more you do it, the more your confidence builds. It snowballs again—you improve, meet more people, and more opportunities come up.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your books?
Rob:
Yeah—my first book was published with help from a friend of mine, Robin, who sadly passed away. He helped get it onto Amazon.
Yeah—my first book was published with help from a friend of mine, Robin, who sadly passed away. He helped get it onto Amazon.
I’ve got a second book called The Next Destination, which I’m currently working on getting digitised, and I’m also writing a third at the moment.
I’m also getting into storytelling, which is a bit different. It’s more about memorising and performing without notes—so you can move around more, engage the audience, add gestures.
It’s more physical, in a way—and it helps you grow as a performer.
Q: Anything you’d like to leave people with?
Rob:
Good luck. Keep writing. Don’t let anything pull you down.
Good luck. Keep writing. Don’t let anything pull you down.
Believe in yourself—you can do this. It’s worthwhile. Life does get better. There are good things out there.
If you want to explore more of Rob’s work, you can find his poetry collections online and follow his journey as he continues writing, performing, and building within the Ipswich creative scene.
And as Rob puts it:
“Believe in yourself. Keep going. It’s worth it.”