This essay is the result of short afternoon walks taken in the streets behind my apartment block in the densely populated city of Karachi. The residential areas in Karachi hold a special fascination for me. For a city bursting at the seams with noise and energy, the heat of the afternoon lulls the city into a quiet stupor and the dirty city streets suddenly appear meditative.

The title takes it's name from a haiku by Kobayashi Issa.

my province
even the smoke
an ancient thing.