O, luve will venture in where it daur na weel be seen !
O, luve will venture in where wisdom ance has been !
But I will down yon river rove among the wood sae green,
And a' to pu' a posie to my ain dear May !

The primrose I will pu', the firstling o' the year,
And I will pu' the pink, the emblem o' my dear,
For she's the pink o' womankind and blooms without a peer —
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May !

I'll pu' the budding rose when Phoebus peeps in view,
For its like a baumy kiss o' her sweet bonnie mou'.
The hyacinth's for constancy, wi' its unchanging blue —
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May !

The lily it is pure, and the lily it is fair,
And in her lovely bosom I'll place the lily there.
The daisy's for simplicity and unaffected air —
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May !

 ... 

The woodbine I will pu' when the e'ening star is near,
And the di'mond draps o' dew shall be her een sae clear !
The violet's for modesty, which weel she fa's to wear —
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.