You may quarrel with centipedes, quibble with seals,
declaim to a duck in the park,
engage in disputes with cantankeroous coots,
but never mince words with a shark.
You may rant at an anteater, banter with eels,
and haggle with gaggles of geese,
heap verbal abuse on a monkey or moose,
but a shark you had best leave in peace.
You may argue with otters, make speeches to teals,
and lecture at length to a shrew,
but a shark will deflate your attempts at debate,
and before you are done, you are through.
The author uses a lot of words that mean similar things. Choose stanza 1, 2, OR 3 and decide on some words that the author uses that mean similar things. Why is the author using those words? How do you know?