Ocean of Poetry: Carly DeMento & Michael Klam

Celebrate the summer solstice with two ocean-loving poets—North County's own Carly Marie DeMento and surfer Michael Klam. Join them for the release of two new books—the "2025-2026 San Diego Poetry Annual" and Klam's latest collection of poetry and visual art, "Stay There," Garden Oak Press: 2026.

Carly Marie DeMento is a poet and third-generation San Diegan. Her poetry has appeared in the North American Review, Kestrel, and Green Hills Literary Lantern—and been hung in the best spot of all: friends' kitchens. Nominated for Best New Poets in 2025, Carly's work is supported by Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. She is the co-creator of "Desire, Calling"—a reading series that features queer writers, a dance party, and a fundraiser for local nonprofits.

Michael Klam is associate publisher of the San Diego Poetry Annual. He is editor-in-chief of the bilingual edition of the SDPA. Klam hosts San Diego Central Library’s Conversations with Poets. His books include "The Cheapest Flight to Paradise" (Puna Press: 2017), "Anything for a Dull Moment" (Garden Oak Press: 2020), and "Stay There" (Garden Oak Press: 2026).