"Born a poor young country boy..." In a hospital in Brookville Pennsylvania the next town over from Clarion, April 12, 1944 at 7:37 pm EST or it might have been War Time it's not clear to me. Anyway, first breath in this body...My mother was Jean Elizabeth Mase before she married my dad, Bird Wilbur Thompson. They named me Bird William Thompson. Her parents were Asa & Mabel; his, Bird Wynkoop Thompson & Anna Jones. Etc. A long line of homo sapiens... My dad liked to sing like Bing Crosby & had a live radio show that was shortened by his joining the Army; Mom played piano some. I was followed by Sue, Jon, Dave & Bob, the last-born born in Florida after we moved there in 1955 to be closer to Mabel's side of the family. First alligator; first winter without snow; first pimple; first band, the Mirror Lake Jr. High band, under the direction of Mr. Drumm (I kid you not!) There it was that I switched from clarinet to bassoon. The latter got me to Europe with St. Pete High band director, Mr. Roberts. First Folies Bergere. 1962, when Americans were cool. I was a nerd.

The college years: MIT, Boston, first attempts at poetry, first sort of a date. Flunked out, avoided draft cleverly, got back in school at South Florida, majoring in Reverse English.

The hippie years. Protesting Vietnam War, Woodstock, first girlfriend, playing drums in the Western Avenue Blues Band & singing a little, playing a little sax, getting first guitar, stealing a Beatles songbook (bad karma), working as little as possible, worrying my parents, Rainbow Gatherings, first songs, travelling incessantly around the country, bumming out a few times, actually believing that ganja could save the world.

1975: took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha. 1977: last toke. 1982: moved to Santa Fe NM. 1987: became father to Shannon. 1994: got Dawa, my dog; started driving cab. 1997: Dad passed away. I was diagnosed as bipolar. 2002: moved to Albuquerque to be closer to daughter, continued driving. 2003: became student of Adzom Paylo Rinpoche. 2006: Mom went on to next life. 2007: recorded NOW HERE THIS.