Ajisawau me wa akazarane tazusawari koto towanaku mo kurushiku arikeri

あぢさはふ目は飽かざらねたづさはり
言とはなくも苦しくありけり

Roma-ji: Ajisawau me wa akazarane tazusawari koto towanaku mo kurushiku arikeri
English Translation: Though my eyes,
like teal in flocks, have looked their fill,
not to hold your hand,
not to speak a word with you,
has been a painful thing
Meaning: I can look at you as much as I like, but not to hold hands and speak with you has been painful.
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2934

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
The poem sings of the frustration of being able to see the beloved but not to hold hands or speak together. In the gap between seeing and touching lies the pain of a love that cannot meet as it wishes.
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, "ajisawau," is a pillow word for "me," eye, though how it connects is debated.
Line two, "me wa akazarane," is taken to mean "though my eyes are not left wanting."
Line three, "tazusawari," means "holding hands."
Line four, "koto towanaku mo," means "not exchanging words."
Line five, "kurushiku arikeri," means "has been painful," expressing the frustration of a love that can see but not touch.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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