"Nirvana" by Charles Bukowski is a poignant reflection on a fleeting moment of beauty and contentment experienced by a young man during a bus ride through North Carolina. The poem captures the feeling of being completely absorbed in a moment of simple pleasure and connection with the world around him, represented by the cozy cafe, the welcoming atmosphere, and the natural humour of the people he encounters.

The poem is a meditation on the human desire for beauty, connection, and transcendence, and the struggle to hold onto those fleeting moments of happiness in the face of life's impermanence.

Read by Tom O'Bedlam.