A Dark Critical Review of ‘My Revenge Is Laying with You’

“My Revenge Is Laying with You” by Soty Pepple is a haunting spoken word poem that explores the dynamics of revenge, betrayal, and emotional devastation. The speaker’s calculated malice transforms intimacy into a battlefield, exposing the fragility of trust and the brutality of broken connections. While the poem explicitly grapples with romantic betrayal, its themes also resonate with broader experiences of pain—especially for women reclaiming power after enduring sexual abuse or domestic violence.

Theme: Revenge as Reclamation

At its core, the poem frames revenge as both deeply personal and profoundly universal. The refrain, “This revenge is for all of us, never looking back they hurt one of us,” elevates the speaker’s vendetta from an individual grievance to a collective reckoning. For women who have endured betrayal, abuse, or violence, these words resonate as a rallying cry—a declaration that their pain will not be ignored.

The title, “My Revenge Is Laying with You,” embodies this duality. On one level, it represents a calculated act of emotional destruction aimed at a specific lover. On another, it symbolizes the reclaiming of power and control in spaces where women have been silenced, hurt, or demeaned. The juxtaposition of love’s supposed intimacy and the cold detachment of revenge—“I smile and your world melts… I refuse to be lost with you as I lay here with you not thinking about you”— reflects the tension between vulnerability and survival.

Betrayal and Abuse: A Shared Grief

The speaker’s disdain for their partner—“Not you, the one I once chose”—mirrors the betrayal that many women feel when trust is shattered in relationships, whether by infidelity, manipulation, or abuse. This betrayal extends beyond romance to reflect the larger dynamics of power and control found in abusive situations.

The refrain ties this personal betrayal to a shared experience of pain, suggesting solidarity with others who have suffered similar fates. Survivors of sexual abuse or domestic violence may find catharsis in these lines, as they encapsulate the anguish of being hurt by someone once loved and trusted.

Structure: Fragmentation as Trauma

The poem’s fragmented structure mirrors the psychological impact of betrayal and abuse. Its abrupt transitions—from detachment (“Not thinking about you”) to scorn (“This is hate not cute”)—evoke the mental disarray that accompanies emotional trauma. Survivors often wrestle with conflicting emotions: anger, sorrow, numbness, and resolve.

This disjointedness also reflects the chaotic power struggles in toxic relationships, where love and harm coexist. The refrain anchors this chaos, serving as both a mantra of solidarity and a warning of the speaker’s calculated resolve.

Literary Devices: A Weaponized Arsenal

The poem by Soty Pepple employs various literary techniques to heighten its intensity and emotional resonance:

• Irony: Lines like “You love me more now, I hate that for you” drip with bitter irony, subverting the idea of love as a source of healing. Instead, love becomes a tool of destruction, a reversal that underscores the speaker’s control.
• Repetition: The refrain, repeated with unrelenting finality, transforms revenge into an incantation. It reinforces the inevitability of the speaker’s actions while uniting the personal and collective aspects of their vengeance.
• Imagery: Descriptions like “It’s a ghost town” evoke a haunting desolation, painting the relationship—and the partner’s future—as barren and lifeless. The imagery of death and absence in “They are all gone now” captures the irreversible toll of betrayal and revenge.
• Juxtaposition: The contrast between “The sweet you” and “The old you I once knew” highlights the loss of innocence and trust, underscoring the emotional erosion within the relationship.

Revenge as Empowerment and Warning

While the speaker’s actions are undeniably destructive, they also reflect a refusal to remain a victim. The closing lines, “You won’t recover from this, I promise this, my lovers never did. They are all gone now,” assert dominance over the partner’s future while acknowledging the emptiness left in revenge’s wake.

For survivors of abuse, this duality may be especially poignant. Revenge offers a sense of empowerment, a reclaiming of power once lost, but it also raises questions about healing. Can revenge ever truly restore what was taken? Or does it merely perpetuate the cycles of pain and harm?

The Feminist Lens: Broader Resonance

When viewed through the lens of sexual abuse and domestic violence, the poem’s themes become even more profound. The shared bed, a symbol of intimacy, is weaponized as a site of retribution, reflecting the complex interplay of trust and betrayal in abusive dynamics. Lines like “No warning, it’s a ghost town” resonate with survivors who have experienced the sudden and devastating shifts that characterize abusive relationships.

The refrain’s collective nature—“This revenge is for all of us”—transforms the poem into a voice for women who have been silenced. By confronting the darkness of love, the speaker reclaims their story, offering a cathartic release for others who have faced similar pain.

Conclusion: A Cathartic Masterpiece

“My Revenge Is Laying with You” by Soty Pepple is more than a narrative of romantic betrayal—it is a harrowing exploration of power, pain, and survival. Its fragmented structure, biting tone, and universal themes make it a deeply unsettling yet profoundly empowering piece.

For women who have endured betrayal, abuse, or violence, the poem offers both a reflection of their struggles and a declaration of their strength. By weaponizing intimacy, the speaker forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about love, vulnerability, and revenge. It is a masterpiece of emotional reckoning, leaving both its speaker and audience forever changed.