Here are five that never fail to move me.

#1 Merle Travis Dark as a Dungeon He doesn't load up on the adjectives, he gives six simple details, the meter and melody are simple and light, and strips away any romantic notion of

Where its dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew, Where the danger is double, the pleasures are few, Where the rain never comes and the sun never shines Its dark as a dungeon way down in the mine.

#2 traditional from How Can I Keep from Singing.

No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I'm clinging, since love is lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing.

#3 traditional (??) from The Parting Glass

And since it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not, I'll gently rise and I'll softly call, goodinight and joy be with you all.

My contemporary vote

Randy Newman-- Broken windows, empty hallways, Pale dead moon in a sky filled with gray Human kindess is overflowing, and I think its going to rain today