Tom Woodruff began performing poetry as' Tom the Street Poet' in Melbourne in the mid 1970s. He changed his writing name in the early 1990s to 'Thom the World Poet'. Woodruff has been widely published and has been instrumental in the development of many poetry festivals both in Australia and abroad. He has travelled extensively in the UK and the US performing his poems, hosting poetry workshops and has been a writer in residence at a number of universities. Woodruff has also made frequent visits back to Australia. In 2000 he was living in Austin, Texas.
