戏为六绝句

Written around 761 in Chengdu. The second poem answers critics who sneered at the four early Tang masters Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, Lu Zhaolin and Luo Binwang: 尔曹身与名俱灭，不废江河万古流 'you will perish, body and name together, but the great rivers flow on for ten thousand ages'. The last poem advises 转益多师是汝师 'learn from every master you can: that is your true teacher'.

戏 'in jest' is modest: 杜甫 presents serious criticism as light verse. 为 here is 'to write, to compose', so it takes the second tone, not wèi.