致德生友-To Friend Desheng

恨无笔力夺烟潭，空负豪情老宅男。

未入青云频有梦，期君抵角走江南。

*二十年前作致南大德生弟，彼时用力于王铎帖，故云烟潭（王铎号）。学书者自当暗暗与古人较劲，凡唧唧与时流论短长者均无大志。

 

 

 

Regret lacking the brush-strength to rival Yantan,
In vain, this fervor—just an old homebound man.

Not yet ascended the azure clouds, yet dreams persist;
I long to inspire each other and roam in Jiangnan.

—Written two decades ago for Desheng of Nanjing University, while studying Wang Duo’s calligraphy (hence “yantan” the master’s art name). Learners should silently wrestle ghosts of ancients; those who squabble with contemporaries lack all ambition.