The Puzzle of the First

In ecosystems, survival

Of the species quite often means

“Survival of the first.” It’s rare

To invade an occupied niche,

And usually the exceptions

Must depend on exogenous

Disruptive factors to clear out

A path for the new arrivals.

The weediest species of all,

These days, calls itself the humans,

The people, or something like that,

So you’d think it would be puzzling

That, among humans, first-comers

Seem most often least advantaged

In a conflict between peoples—

Could be since all people are new,

Relatively speaking, and none

As deeply rooted as they think—

Could be that being so weedy,

Humans only thrive invading,

Including invading humans.

Whatever the reason, patterns

Confirm the pattern, showing up

In longer and longer time frames—

Even after those first somewhere

Have been, as geneticists say,

Euphemistically, replaced,

The second and third waves remain

Vulnerable to fourths and fifths.

Yet wouldn’t you rather claim first?