Hitome ōmi me koso shinobure sukunaku mo kokoro no uchi ni waga omowanaku ni

人目多み目こそ忍ぶれすくなくも
心のうちに我が思はなくに

Roma-ji: Hitome ōmi me koso shinobure sukunaku mo kokoro no uchi ni waga omowanaku ni
English Translation: So many are the eyes,
I keep my glances hidden,
but not a little
within my heart of hearts
do I think of you
Meaning: Because so many are watching, I keep my eyes from you, but in my heart I think of you, and not a little.
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2911

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
The poet tries to convey true feelings: because so many people are watching, the eyes feign indifference, but the heart is deeply in love. Taking up "hitome o ōmi" from the preceding poem, it contrasts outward coolness with inner feeling.
The poet is unknown. Book Twelve, titled the second part of "Love Poems Exchanged Old and New," gathers love poems by people whose names have not come down to us, arranged by category.

Line one, "hitome ōmi," means "since there are many eyes," taking up "hitome o ōmi" from the preceding poem.
Line two, "me koso shinobure": "koso" is concluded by the realis "shinobure," and the line flows on concessively, "it is only my eyes that I hold back."
Line three, "sukunaku mo," means "just a little," corresponding with the negative.
Line four, "kokoro no uchi ni," means "within my heart."
Line five, "waga omowanaku ni," means "it is not that I think of you lightly," contrasting outward coolness with deep inner feeling.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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