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134 Cantonese Love Songs Song 61 The Single-hearted Palm Tree156 I know that you, palm tree, have but a single heart; You were born with this particular type of heart. Once I saw you, I admired you, and my soul melted with yearning. You grow up in meagre soil, and without any support; You are the seed of true passion, therefore you have the root of passion. If this world of men contained the root of such passion I do not believe men would ever find it. A tree may have but a single heart; what I sorely regret is the fickleness of my lover. Recently I have seen that my master's heart is unsettled; His one heart he would share with many others.157 If only he could imitate you in having a single heart, I never would know regret. Ah, but I am impatient. I must ask the flower-spirit: '0 spirit of the single-hearted palm tree! Are you willing to help my lover imitate your singleness of heart? If not, I will call you an evil spirit.' Mutual love is unending. Song 62 Unending How can I banish from my heart all thought of the past, all thought of the future? For my whole life I have been afraid of uttering the word 'parting'; I want to be like the spring silk-worm that spins till it dies [i.e. her affection for him to last till death]. 156 The gomuti palm. A Cantonese phrase, t7'C1~fBt ' -1I5i~Jc,\ ,fang long sue, yat tiu sam (whose literal meaning is: the gomuti palm, a single heart), refers to a singlehearted , devoted lover. 157 See Songs 2, line 10; 68, line 9. 134 Cantonese Love Songs Song 61 The Single-hearted Palm Tree156 I know that you, palm tree, have but a single heart; You were born with this particular type of heart. Once I saw you, I admired you, and my soul melted with yearning. You grow up in meagre soil, and without any support; You are the seed of true passion, therefore you have the root of passion. If this world of men contained the root of such passion I do not believe men would ever find it. A tree may have but a single heart; what I sorely regret is the fickleness of my lover. Recently I have seen that my master's heart is unsettled; His one heart he would share with many others.157 If only he could imitate you in having a single heart, I never would know regret. Ah, but I am impatient. I must ask the flower-spirit: '0 spirit of the single-hearted palm tree! Are you willing to help my lover imitate your singleness of heart? If not, I will call you an evil spirit.' Song 62 Unending Mutual love is unending. How can I banish from my heart all thought of the past, all thought of the future? For my whole life I have been afraid of uttering the word 'parting'; I want to be like the spring silk-worm that spins till it dies [i.e. her affection for him to last till death]. 156 The gomuti palm. A Cantonese phrase, t7'C1~fBt ' -11~Jc,\ ,fang long sue, yat tiu sam (whose literal meaning is: the gomuti palm, a single heart), refers to a singlehearted , devoted lover. 157 See Songs 2, line 10; 68, line 9. ...

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