Edson Arantes do Nascimento (aka Pelé) was, arguably, the most famous man in the world during his lifetime.
Kings and Queens and Presidents are famous because they are kings and queens and presidents; historic figures are famous in retrospect, their achievements echoing through time; and artists are famous due to the enduring appeal of their work.
But Pelé, whose presence at a nearby match initiated a two-day cease-fire in an African civil war, took ephemeral athletic skill and transformed it into something eternal. Something celebrated on every populated continent of the globe – even a, then (1970’s), soccer-averse North America.
Pelé, forever
charging down a pitch… the ball
and goal approaching
By David Edwards
5-7-5 Haiku Journal 