Founder of the the Australian Poetry Ltd (AP), former editor of Scarp: New Arts and Writing and Blue Dog: Australian Poetry, Mr Pretty also operated Five Islands press where he published over 230 books and authored eight books.

Sitting in an old house at the Booranga Writers Centre, with countless poetry books sprawled across the table, Mr Pretty's humble nature and love of poetry is clear. 

Currently, Mr Pretty is in residence at the Booranga Writers Centre, where he will spend some time conducting workshops in Wagga and Narrandera, while also taking time to work with prisoners at the Junee jail.

Poetry, Mr Pretty said should be a reflection of lifeand personal experiences.

"Mostly, in poetry I work out questions for myself, good or bad and I don't always have the answers," Mr Pretty said.

"Literature takes you beyond day-to-day news and shows you thing as they develop," he said.

"It is subversive because it draws people to question everyday things." 

In an increasingly fast paced media environment where news seems disposable, Mr Pretty said poetry maintains longevity.

"A poem can go deeper than Twitter." 

Mr Pretty said writing a poem can be a long process. 

"I tend to write drafts with out being consciously aware of things, I let the words flow," he said.

"I like to sit out on the balcony, usually with a couple of glasses of red wine and wait,

"It will come, it's hard to stop trying and just follow there words see where it will take me." 

"You can't consume it like soup." 

Perfection does not come over night.

"I do come back again and again, it's impossible to write a perfect poem and you find different ways of dealing with things." 

Mr Pretty said he constantly tried to find new ways to approach poetry.

"At the moment I'm trying to write long poetry successfully ,

"I always try to find ways to keep the reader interested, like with my butterfly poems.

Butterfly poems is a form of poetry that can be red three ways - across and down each column. 

"It's good fun, I need new challenges." 

One of Mr Pretty's latest challenges is his involvement in prison writing projects.

Spending time with many young indigenous men, Mr Pretty said, opened his eyes.

"It's very different, many prisoners are interested in writing but they are not sure how to get started." 

"Many only have basic literacy, but you hear some incredible stories." 

On the changes he'd like to see in Australian poetry, Mr Pretty said poetry should be funnier. 

"Poetry ought to be enjoyed, not taken too seriously." 

EVENTS: 

Tonight, April 24:

What: Reading

Where: Wagga City Library Community Learning Space 

When: From 5pm 

Saturday, April 26: 

What: Writing workshop

Where: Booranga Writer's Centre, McKeown Drive

When: 2-4pm