The Shield of Achilles by W.H. Auden

I learned it by heart in 10th grade because my teacher made me and memorizing it made me love it and never forget it. “She looked over his shoulder for vines and olive trees, marble, well governed cities and ships upon un-tamed seas, but there on the shining metal his hands had put instead an artificial wilderness and a sky like lead.” And that is straight off the top of my 70 year old head.