Cistulli shakes shackles of celebrity

By B. Chishti

Carson Cistulli, an MHCC part-time writing instructor, is celebrating the debut of his first published book of poetry, “Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated.”

Cistulli, who today sports green coke-bottle glasses and a purposefully cow-licked hairdo, was born in New Hampshire and lived there until he was 14. When his parents decided to obtain a divorce, he opted to attend a boarding school near Boston rather than choose to live with one or the other. During his time in the school, (which, no, did not require uniforms), he began to read poetry. He also started to experiment with writing poems.

“Really bad ones,” he noted. “Just to try and get ladies.”

Did it work?

“No. No, it didn’t work then and it still doesn’t work,” said Cistulli.

After graduating from the boarding school, he went to Columbia University where he was delighted to learn he could take classes from one of his favorite poets, Kenneth Koch.

“The poetry world is like that. If you’re a musician and your favorite musician is Bob Dylan,” said Cistulli, “you can’t just show up at Bob Dylan’s house. You can’t just, like, hang out with Bob Dylan.”

Two years after starting at Columbia University, he decided to take a year off and left for Seattle. Cistulli worked a “fun, crap job” at a theater and discovered just how much he loved having free time.

During his stay in Seattle he began writing every day.

After his hiatus from the world of academia, he enrolled at the University of Montana from which he graduated in spring 2004. He decided to go to graduate school and enrolled in the University of Massachusetts.

While at the university he got involved with a radio show called “Goal: The Soccer Show” and soon found himself hosting the weekly program. It emphasized sports and athletics.

“I want to hear people praising athletes,” said Cistulli.

When Cistulli begins to write a poem, he said he works himself into a state of enthusiasm and tries to translate that enthusiasm into words. He also plays word games.

“It’s like mad libs in more sophisticated versions,” he explained.

He said that moving into teaching was an easy transition.

“You can’t make it these days as a poet,” he said and quickly added, “but I don’t mind. I really like teaching.”

Of his students he says, “Mostly they make fun of me.” This quarter at MHCC, Cistulli is teaching two sections of Writing 115 and one section of Writing 121

Asked if he planned on having another book published, he said, “Sure, I’m planning on having books out for the rest of my life.”

He isn’t rushing it, though. Cistulli said he has found that along with the pleasures of being a published author, there are also certain pains that accompany celebrity.

“It’s hard for me now, for example, to walk down the street without being noticed,” said Cistulli. “Women throw their brassieres at me,” he deadpanned, “and it’s dangerous because there are these little hooks.

“It’s taken away my liberty. I’m feeling the shackles of fame.”

Cistulli also hosts a new radio program on Sundays at 9 a.m. called The Shuttle Coque Show through KPSU.