Cargo Culte

I know of sorcerers who summon jets
In the jungle of New Guinea
They scrutinize the zenith
Coveting guineas
What would the plundering of cargo bring them?

Over the Coral Sea as this aircraft passes
These creatures, not devoid of reason
These Papuans
Await clouds
The damage to the Viscount
And that of the Comet

And since their totem has never been able to bring down at their feet
Neither Boeing nor even DC four
They dream of hijacks
And bird crashes

These naive wreckers
Armed with blowpipes
Who thus sacrifice to the cult of cargo
Blowing
Towards the azure
And the airplanes

Where are you, Melody?
And your dislocated body
Does it haunt the archipelago populated by sirens?

Or clinging to the freighter whose alarm siren has fallen silent
Have you stayed?

Running at random by the currents
Have you ever touched
These luminous corals of the Guinean coast
Where these native sorcerers stir in vain
Who still hope for broken planes

Having nothing left to lose
Nor God to believe in
So that they will give me back my paltry loves
I, like them
I prayed to the freighters of the night

And I keep this hope
Of an air disaster
That would bring back Melody
Miner diverted
From the attraction of the stars

What's your name?
Melody
Melody what?
Melody Nelson