Isonokami furu no wasada no ho ni wa idezu kokoro no uchi ni kouru kono koro

石上布留の早稲田の穂には出でず
心のうちに恋ふるこのころ

Roma-ji: Isonokami furu no wasada no ho ni wa idezu kokoro no uchi ni kouru kono koro
English Translation: At Isonokami,
in the early fields of Furu,
like ears not yet out,
hidden in my heart alone,
these are days of longing love.
Meaning: Like the rice of the early fields of Furu at Isonokami that has not yet come into ear, I show nothing outwardly, but these days I love in the depths of my heart.
Commentary: Book Nine Love Poems 1768

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three poems composed by Nukeno Ōobito when, appointed to Tsukushi, he took as wife Himono Ko, a maiden of Buzen"
The speaker does not let his love show, as early rice has not yet come into ear, but loves in secret within his heart these days. The pain of a hidden love is expressed through the image of rice ears.
This is the second of Nukeno Ōobito's three poems. Isonokami and Furu are place names in Yamato (present-day Tenri, Nara), and since a Yamato place is named in a poem from Tsukushi, some think an old poetic phrase has been borrowed.
The author, Nukeno Ōobito, is otherwise unknown. According to the headnote, when posted to Tsukushi he took as wife a maiden of Buzen named Himono Ko.

The first line, "at Isonokami," is a pillow word for Furu and also the name of the surrounding district.
The second line, "in the early fields of Furu," completes the preface leading to ho ni izu, "to come into ear."
The third line, "like ears not yet out," uses the image of ears appearing for feelings showing outwardly.
The fourth line, "hidden in my heart alone," places the love within.
The final line, "these are days of longing love," ends on a noun; in contrast to the brightness of the preceding poem, it speaks of secret love.
Author: Nukeno Ōobito
Source: Manyoshu
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