Southey’s poem ‘After Blenheim’ is an anti-war poem. Through this poem the poet has ironically exposed the common people’s beliefs and heroic ideals regarding war.The poet has expressed his disapproval of war by depicting the destruction that war can cause. The poet wants to emphasize that wars are senseless, futile and evil, and that in war there is no real winners — everybody ending up being a loser.
 
In the twenty first century, the entire world is war-ridden and poverty stricken. Thousands of killings are being reported every single day throughout the world. So, in today’s world the anti-war poems can enlighten our minds to crave for a peaceful world. Literary pieces like these are wake-up calls to seek peaceful solutions to all conflicts. Thus, this poem is very much relevant in our times.