Kaku bakari omokage ni nomi omōeba ika ni ka mo semu hitome shigekute

かくばかり面影にのみ思ほえば
いかにかもせむ人目繁くて

Roma-ji: Kaku bakari omokage ni nomi omōeba ika ni ka mo semu hitome shigekute
English Translation: If like this, so much,
only in my mind's own eye
you appear to me,
what, oh what am I to do,
with so many watching eyes
Meaning: If you appear to me only as an image in my mind like this, what am I to do, when there are so many eyes watching?
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 752

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Fifteen more poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to the Elder Daughter of Sakanoue"
She appears to him so constantly as an image in his mind, yet with so many eyes watching they cannot meet; what is he to do? he laments.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito and a poet thought to have been deeply involved in compiling the Man'yōshū. He later rose to the rank of Middle Counselor.

First line, "If like this, so much," means to this degree.
Second line, "only in my mind's own eye," means only as an image, showing that they do not really meet.
Third line, "you appear to me," means if you come to mind so.
Fourth line, "what, oh what am I to do," means how shall I manage? The poem breaks after this line.
Fifth line, "with so many watching eyes," gives the reason by inversion.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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