Kettle Bottom (2004) by Diane Gilliam Fisher documents the coal camps/towns and "mine wars" of Mingo County, rural West Virginia in the 1920s.
The poems are written from the vantage points of fictionalized individuals living the reality of rural coal country. Some are epistolary or journal entries, and many of them feature rural slang and dialect/grammar. Coal miners (including immigrants and people of color); their wives, children, parents, and siblings; preachers; and other community members provide the voices of the narratives in Kettle Bottom. The book is peppered with references ranging from Appalachian secular folk songs to the Bible to Dante's Inferno. There is also a companion CD to this book which features readings of the poems and additional content. Themes of poverty, work, race, gender, and religion permeate these poems. Fisher also includes historical context, including information about riots, unionization following the "mine wars," and notes about slang and quotations.
https://www.amazon.com/Kettle-Bottom-Diane-Gilliam-Fisher/dp/0966045971
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