Raymond Carver was first called “the American Chekhov” in the late 20^th century, and since then discovering affinities between Chekhov and Carver has become an important aspect in Russian-American comparative studies. However, though several scholars drew general parallels between their realistic narrative methods, text-focused analysis are less frequent. The present paper compares three thematically parallel shorts stories to reveal similarities and differences in their poetics. It also emphasizes Carver’s last short story, his open tribute to Chekhov, as the epitome of the American author’s impressionistic realism. Like Chekhov, he strove to portray accurately the colors, sounds, smells, and laconically create the narrative atmosphere, both in his short stories and in poems. This gift, alongside with the sincere, non-sentimental sympathy towards his characters, makes Carver’s honorary title ring true.