What's something (can be a quote, poem, etc) that you can't seem to forget?

When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger the other represents opportunity.

Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or the persecution of others.

Both quotes by John F. Kennedy

Every morning I'm reminded of Ogden Nash's recipe for cooking perfect toast. He wrote, "Cook it till it burns, and then twenty seconds less."

But the other Nash poem that keeps coming back is one I quoted on here a few days ago. I think of it whenever I see a teen, or a young woman, teetering along on high heels before she has really got the hang of how to walk in them. It goes like this:

"As the children of policemen have the flattest kind of feet
and the daughter of the floozy has a wiggle in her seat,
my position at the bottom of society I owe
to the qualities my parents bequeathed me long ago."

Ever since I watched the movie 'Equilibrium', I have memorized the poem they recite:

"Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths,
enwrought with golden and silver light,
the blue and the dim and the dark cloths
of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread these cloths under your feet;
but I, being poor, have only my dreams.
I would spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams."
- "Cloths of Heaven", William B. Yeats

The Prayer of Elizabeth from Stay Alive. (Short)

"Come to me clouds.

May you rise as an evil storm,

born to rip them open.

Let the cover of night bear witness

and destroy those who resist,

So they shall harm me not.

Let the blood of many cleanse me,

Preserving beauty eternal.

-I Pray You."

It was during very first university course in English.  We had read a book I thought was ridiculous.  Actually, I read the first three chapters and put it down.  We had to write an essay.  The prof loved the book.  Gushed over the damn thing.  I needed to choose between a positive and appreciative treatment or 'why I hate this book'.  I didn't know what to do.  I talked to my spouse of many years and this is what he said, 'If you're going to start betraying people, why would you start with yourself.'  That guy thinks he's so smart!  But this statement stayed with me.  It's been so helpful.