He came of age during the Italian and German occupation of Greece, and took part in the resistance, acting as a courier.
In Greece, before migrating to Australia, he published two collections of poetry, one of which was printed with the help of the English writer Lawrence Durrell, who met Tsaloumas on Rhodes and was impressed with his work.
Four of Tsaloumas' poems, "I Took the Path to the Mountain", "The Foreigner", "The Pomegranate", and "Letters Bearing Bad Tidings", were set to music by the Greek-Australian songwriter Costas Tsicaderis.
[5] A studio version of "The Pomegranate" was included in the anthology of Greek Australian songs and music In a Strange Land.
[6] "I Took the Path to the Mountain" and "The Foreigner" is on the album by Irine Vela and Costas Tsicaderis, Greek 3CR.