致德生友-To Friend Desheng

恨無筆力奪煙潭，空負豪情老宅男。

未入青雲頻有夢，期君抵角走江南。

*二十年前作致南大德生弟，彼時用力於王鐸帖，故雲煙潭（王鐸號）。學書者自當暗暗與古人較勁，凡唧唧與時流論短長者均無大誌。

 

 

 

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.