The title poem, "Common Violence," introduces the themes, images and sections of the book: war, terrorism, environmental desecration, domestic abuse, and physical disease. Not only do these facets of our lives have "violence in common," but the presence and news of violence around us is all too common, becoming the norm. The poem's call for grace, however, along with several poems embodying perceptions of beauty, love, and courage, create restorative counterpoints and promises of renewal.