A Cold Coming

The poem combines the images of war with the idea of death because death is a consequence of war, and is what the "charred" soldier is experiencing in the poem. The images of war and birth are combined because the American soldiers save their sperm in sperm banks so that in the case they should die at war, their wives might still be able to conceive their child.
The author focuses on the idea of procreation and sperm banks as they portray the atrocities and ghastly aspects of war. The soldiers use these sperm banks in the case they should no trutrn from the war. Is it right or wrong to still have the child of a deceased husband? The child would not have a father and might be a constant reminder to the wife of her husband.
It is important that the Iraqui solder is talking to a poet instead of a journalist because the poet can change the words to less gruesome and possibly less vivid, whereas a journalist writes facts, quote for quote. Speaking to a poet would probably be more beneficial to the readers, so they don't have to know all the details of what the soldier is experiencing in the war.