Wang Huizhi drinks alone by Tom Sharp

It’s snowing heavily, so I order wine and drink into the night. The moon travels thousands of miles over mountains and comes out from behind clouds, cold and solitary. Frost covers the garden; ice clings to the eaves; our crystal and jade are just as hard, and our lives are just as permanent. How can I pretend to have nothing to lose? You can’t gamble your position on cock fights or give your family to the poor. The lives of generals and emperors are just as messed up as mine. I raise a glass for cruelty and stupidity. I’ve written many poems and letters, but ten thousand words are not enough to make a cup of water. If you spend all your gold on having fun, your friends will leave you when it’s done. I’m pretty sure Confucius warned us about this. People turn their heads from ancient precepts like horses who turn away from a cold wind. They laugh and don’t know what they’re laughing at. They think I’m like the moon, light without heat. They can’t play a musical instrument, but they think the instrument is broken.

答王十二寒夜独酌有怀 by 李白 (Li Bai)

昨夜吴中雪，子猷佳兴发。万里浮云卷碧山，青天中道流孤月。孤月沧浪河汉清，北斗错落长庚明。怀余对酒夜霜白，玉床金井冰峥嵘。人生飘忽百年内，且须酣畅万古情。君不能狸膏金距学斗鸡，坐令鼻息吹虹霓。君不能学哥舒，横行青海夜带刀，西屠石堡取紫袍。吟诗作赋北窗里，万言不直一杯水。世人闻此皆掉头，有如东风射马耳。鱼目亦笑我，谓与明月同。骅骝拳跼不能食，蹇驴得志鸣春风。折杨黄华合流俗，晋君听琴枉清角。巴人谁肯和阳春，楚地由来贱奇璞。黄金散尽交不成，白首为儒身被轻。一谈一笑失颜色，苍蝇贝锦喧谤声。曾参岂是杀人者？谗言三及慈母惊。与君论心握君手，荣辱于余亦何有？孔圣犹闻伤凤麟，董龙更是何鸡狗！一生傲岸苦不谐，恩疏媒劳志多乖。严陵高揖汉天子，何必长剑拄颐事玉阶。达亦不足贵，穷亦不足悲。韩信羞将绛灌比，祢衡耻逐屠沽儿。君不见李北海，英风豪气今何在！君不见裴尚书，土坟三尺蒿棘居！少年早欲五湖去，见此弥将钟鼎疏。