China: A Day in the Life Part 9

Baiyin is full of clothes shops - it sometimes seems as if nine out of every ten sell either clothes or shoes - and many of them sell what are clearly, from the window displays meant to be clothes for the bride and groom. The Chinese, though, are not so unimaginative as to go for grey morning suit or white bridal gown all the time. I am not sure if the display in the small window that I pass as I return to school for the afternoon is meant to always be such wedding garb though it often looks to me as if that's the case.
The window is just big enough to contain one male mannequin and one female, and they are redressed in matching outfits about once a week. Otherwise they remain completely unchanged in pose or position.
It prompted this poem

The Unchanging World of Mr and Mrs Sun

Today I'm dressed in emerald green:

waistcoat, bowler hat and braces.

My wife, who by my side is seen,

is also dressed in emerald green

in a puffball skirt

and pleated shirt.

We're in accustomed places.

 

Today her dress is long and white:

a yellow sash is wrapped about

to match my shirt that shines so bright

and set off with bow tie of white.

The storefront glare

the place we share

is elegant without a doubt.

 

Blood red with black dots, black with red:

See Minnie Mouse, her theme today.

My clothes may be quite plain instead:

the trousers black, the shirt just red.

Dressed up so smart,

we never part.

We knock the fashion critics dead.

 

I have not changed except my hat

but my wife's mouse demeanour's gone.

She has a long silk gown now that

has matching shade to my red hat.

Gold threads entwine

in both designs

for all the world to gaze upon.

 

Today we've changed to shades of blue:

a shirt of sapphire, navy tie.

My wife's blouse has similar hue

and skirt and shoes are also blue.

We always try

to catch the eye

of all the people passing by.

 

Each passing day from shop front stand

we watch, consider, contemplate.

We're always not quite hand in hand

as side by side we simply stand.

While others race

from place to place

still all we do is watch and wait.