In my opinion Mary Oliver is stating that in all of nature there is a balance, a balance of good and bad. The notorious owls are the more nightmarish part of nature, the horned owl is a menacing yet spectacular creature of the woods. But, balance can be found in the flowers. The bright, elegant flowers bring joy and pleasure to all that are around them, the flowers are the more gratifying part of nature. Having too much of these exquisite flowers can be too much to handle. The flowers can bring you contentment and jubilation at that moment in time, but the horned owl brings you back to the harsh reality of life. Mary Oliver’s elaborate response to nature shows there should never be an excess amount of anything in life. Both halves of nature
