The song "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" by Simon & Garfunkel is said to be about a soldier in love who is on a journey to the fair in Scarborough, a small market town in North Yorkshire, England. The lyrics feature a list of impossible tasks that the singer requests of someone living there, so that the soldier can prove his love and win the heart of his true love. The specific tasks, such as "Tell her to make me a cambric shirt /On the side of a hill, in the deep forest green" symbolize the difficulty of winning one's love and may implicate the difficulty of maintaining it. The recurring theme of the herbs parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme could refer to the fragility of life and love, but could also hint at some sort of magical or supernatural element in the singer's request. Ultimately, the song is a sad reflection on how hard it can be to be in love.