Lemonade

This study guide will help you analyze the poem “Lemonade” by Raymond Carver. You can also find a summary of the poem, as well as ideas for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the poem

Title: “Lemonade” (1989)
Author: Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver (1938-1988) was an American short story writer and poet. He is famous for using minimalism and exploring dirty realism in his stories. The poem “Lemonade” was published in the poetry collection A New Path to the Waterfall, Carter’s last book.

Excerpt from the study guide:

As Howard talks about losing his only grandson, he mentions the Elwha River – a place in the US state of Washington – where Jim Jr. drowned:

… he sees his son breaking out of the water downriver,
and rising up – being reeled in, so to speak – beginning to turn and
turn in circles until he was up, way up above the fir trees, tongs
sticking out of his back, and then the copter turning and swinging
upriver, accompanied by the roar and whap-whap of
the copper blades…

The atmosphere of the poem is somber. From the first ...