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100 Cantonese Love Songs At my wit's end, I can do nothing but resort to my dreams to find this fickle lover of mine. You woke me up with your plaintive cry, but not even a few words did you bring for me; Had you brought me a letter from him, I would not resent your coming. You woke me up, but brought no letter. In wakening me from my dream, you separated me from my lord. Wishing to relish that sweet dream once more, I fled into my dreamworld to find him. But dreaming gives you nothing to rely on; why, it is like sailing on a boundless and mist-enveloped sea. Ah me, how frustrated I am! Who will pity a miserable woman like me? Now that news from Hang Yeung has stopped82 [i.e. no more letter-carrying geese], how are you going to rejoin your flock? Song 29 The Letter-carrying Goose Did you, a letter-carrying goose, bring me an answer?83 If you have no letter for me, do not bother to return. Today I see you have no reply for me. It must be that his love for me has its limits, Or perhaps you carelessly lost the letter on your journey, Or perhaps he is so sorrowful that he is unable to write to me. If the words were in his head but never put on paper, then bring me blank pages, So that on seeing the blank pages I can imagine I am reading his outpourings of love. Our hearts mirror one another, even though no words are exchanged. Now I see the goose returning, without a letter for me. Ah, letter-carrying goose! Nothing for me. 82 Cf. Song 16, line 2. 83 See Songs 6, line 4; 16; 28. 100 Cantonese Love Songs At my wit's end, I can do nothing but resort to my dreams to find this fickle lover of mine. You woke me up with your plaintive cry, but not even a few words did you bring for me; Had you brought me a letter from him, I would not resent your coming. You woke me up, but brought no letter. In wakening me from my dream, you separated me from my lord. Wishing to relish that sweet dream once more, I fled into my dreamworld to find him. But dreaming gives you nothing to rely on; why, it is like sailing on a boundless and mist-enveloped sea. Ah me, how frustrated I am! Who will pity a miserable woman like me? Now that news from Hang Yeung has stopped82 [i.e. no more letter-carrying geese], how are you going to rejoin your flock? Song 29 The Letter-carrying Goose Did you, a letter-carrying goose, bring me an answer?83 If you have no letter for me, do not bother to return. Today I see you have no reply for me. It must be that his love for me has its limits, Or perhaps you carelessly lost the letter on your journey, Or perhaps he is so sorrowful that he is unable to write to me. If the words were in his head but never put on paper, then bring me blank pages, So that on seeing the blank pages I can imagine I am reading his outpourings of love. Our hearts mirror one another, even though no words are exchanged. Now I see the goose returning, without a letter for me. Ah, letter-carrying goose! Nothing for me. 82 Cf. Song 16, line 2. 83 See Songs 6, line 4; 16; 28. The Songs 101 When you come it does not always mean that you bring me a letter. I will be exactly like him. I will write no letter either. Now, fly back to that fickle creature! Song 30 The Passionate Geese The passionate geese fly in pairs to the south. o geese! Why do you fly so far away on the autumn wind? On river and lake the goose and gander have always their mate, but My lover has jilted me. He is now alone, a forlorn shadow living in distant parts. The wind is fierce; his garments are thin; I have no way of sending more to him; The winter garments I made for him lie now in my empty room. Every day I strain my eyes until the sun sets; and my sorrows multiply. I see nothing but a fence of drooping willows ending in the...

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