Kokoro ni wa wasurenu mono o tamasaka ni minu hi samaneku tsuki zo henikeru

心には忘れぬものをたまさかに
見ぬ日さまねく月ぞ経にける

Roma-ji: Kokoro ni wa wasurenu mono o tamasaka ni minu hi samaneku tsuki zo henikeru
English Translation: In my heart of hearts
I have not forgotten you,
yet by some mischance
days of not seeing you mounted
till a whole month has gone by
Meaning: In my heart I have never forgotten you, yet by chance the days of not meeting you piled up until a whole month has passed.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 653

Headnote: "Three poems by Ōtomo no Sukune Surugamaro"
In his heart he has not forgotten her, he pleads, but by chance the days without meeting have piled up until a month has passed. It opens, like Lady Sakanoue's poem 647 in this book, with kokoro ni wa, "in my heart," suggesting the give-and-take of their exchange.
The author, Ōtomo no Surugamaro, was an official thought to be a grandson of Ōtomo no Miyuki, and he became the husband of Lady Sakanoue's younger daughter.

First line, "In my heart of hearts," opens the same way as poem 647.
Second line, "I have not forgotten you," uses the concessive mono o: though I do not forget.
Third line, "yet by some mischance," means by chance.
Fourth line, "days of not seeing you mounted," means the days without meeting became many.
Fifth line, "till a whole month has gone by," closes zo with keru: a month has passed.
Author: Ōtomo no Surugamaro
Source: Manyoshu
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