Shirome

Shirome was a minor female Japanese waka poet, who lived during the 900s CE. Her occupation was that of an "oiran", a common prostitute during that period, not even as socially respectable as the geisha would be. Nevertheless, a great poem of hers was included in the "Kokin Wakashū":

:If I were only sure:I could live as long as I wanted to,:I would not have to weep:at parting from you.

References

*pg 19 & 142 of "Woman poets of Japan", 1977, Kenneth Rexroth, Ikuko Atsumi, ISBN 0-8112-0820-6; previously published as "The Burning Heart" by The Seabury Press.
* [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-0741(200023)55%3A3%3C327%3ASOTHAK%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H "Shadows of Transgression: Heian and Kamakura Constructions of Prostitution"] by Janet R. Goodwin. "Monumenta Nipponica", Vol. 55, No. 3 (Autumn, 2000), pp. 327-368

External links

*http://www.earlywomenmasters.net/masters/poets/bibliography.html