Fish in a Painting

A huge fish, bold and noble,
stands up like a man,
slicing waves, treading ripples.
in brisk wind-blown currents.
Watching him from the side,
two carp, quite full of spirit:
quick and nimble, showing, hiding,
following the waves!
In the main hall, fins and flippers
move in the vast darkness;
only after sitting long
do I realize it's a picture.
Dark sky over ten thousand miles
sweeps the silken surface:
the force of the brush in just a few feet of space
has created a vast cosmos.
At the Gate of YĆ¼ and Heaven's Pond
among the clouds and fog,
in broad daylight rumbling thunder
is heard beneath the earth.
What man had the power to move this marvel here?
Wine-drunk, I gaze at it
and my whole expression changes:
I only fear that these three fish
may turn into three dragons!
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Author of original: 
Ho Ching-ming
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