The article is devoted to the problems of ethnic-cultural perceptions in contemporary Karachay-Balkar poetry. It defines criteria for shaping an ethnic and civic self-identity. The paper discusses how cultural globalization affects the ideology of the Karachay-Balkar people. In a detailed analysis of works by N. Bayramkulov and A. Bakkuev, two poets of a younger generation, the author argues that fundamental values and stereotypes take priority in the poetic mentality of younger artists. Closely examining the themes of the poets’ works – philosophy, religion, history, society and politics – the author specially describes the way each poet deals with the nation’s artistic memory. Another focus is on the analysis of poetics. It is suggested that the young poets’ creative method is found at convergence of realism and mythopoeia. Their poetry centers around the mythical images of stone, water, mountains, and ‘taulu’ (‘a man of the mountains’).