What poem has made an indelible impression on you, and why?

"Mother to Son," written by Langston Hughes

Well, Son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up.
And places with no carpet on the floor.
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now
For I'se still goin', Honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
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"Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes is one of the first poems I remember reading.  I have always adored this write, because of its stark realism.  You can evision the staircase and the mother's sense of hopelessness.  You can see the hardships she has had to endure through her life.  Yet, she continues to instill excellence in her son,  a "don't you dare give up" attitude.  We can all learn a powerful lesson from this piece.