Conflict The poem's main conflict is external: man vs nature, since the title refers to the act of killing the birds. There is also a little battle of man vs man, since the women are dissatisfied with the neglect they are subjected to during this time. Finally, there is a struggle between life and death. The main theme of the poem is survival. Man must fight for his life, since he does not belong to Earth anymore. This idea is reflected in many lines of poetry: "A beast at heart - / A fish out of water". Even though the birds are dead, it is implied that they were fighting for their lives too, since they would not have done so if they did not feel threatened by the gun. In conclusion, man must fight against all odds to survive.