Dear Autumn, With Love from London

 

People like winter because they think of Christmas. Others love spring because it brings the idea of new life. Whilst some adore summer for its hot long days and warm breezy nights.

 

Autumn usually has connotations of brown leaves, bare trees and, unfortunately, death due to Remembrance Day occurring during the season. But even in London, we can look around and see that there is much more to autumn for those of us who live here to appreciate.

 

Our personal associations with autumn differ and it’s fair to say some are good whilst others are bad. However, one similarity that most of us would agree on is the sad truth that we often forget about the season’s worth especially in a city like London. There is more to autumn than it merely just being an opening act for the biting winter or the denouement of the summer. Autumn holds its own value and it’s a shame it tends to be forgotten or simply just ignored. It deserves to be praised for its leaf-strewn pathways, it deserves to be commended for “mists and mellow fruitfulness” (as described by John Keats) it deserves to be given a chance and it deserves to be remembered for its sheer beauty.

 

My favourite place in South-West London to witness the swift transition from the sun-kissed summer to the magnificent autumn has to be Battersea Park. The park is the perfect place to see autumn in all its splendour.

 

Battersea Park is a place really close my heart because of the huge amount of time I spent here as a little child. I stop at nothing when telling people about my love for this green space found on the South bank of the Thames.  The entire park is truly a Wandsworth treasure, but the best part, in my opinion, is the Bandstand. Today, the enclosure is, undeniably, the epitome of autumn in its full glory. It stands in a grove with many pathways, lined by large oaks, leading out of the enchanted circular space. It is definitely a must-see for all those willing to give autumn its deserving shot at the title of ‘Best Season’.

 

It is rather unfair to underestimate the potential autumn has to win our hearts and I personally think that it deserves an apology. It may sound absurd, but if the poetic great, John Keats, could pen an entire poem as an ode “To Autumn” then why can’t we Londoners do the same? So:

 

Dear Autumn,

We apologise for our ignorance. We have come to realise your true worth and promise never to underestimate your stunning beauty ever again. We have seen the light and have decided that you are a strong contender for the title of ‘Best Season’ and we are no longer going to view you as the bridge between summer and winter. You are, without a doubt, a beautiful season and worth the whole world.

Our sincere apologies,

The Public of London

 

By Nasyah Bandoh, Ursuline High School Wimbledon