Final answer:
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. stood out from other New England School poets due to his characteristic use of humor and wit in his writing, as opposed to their focus on transcendental and spiritual themes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is C: Holmes was known for his humor and wit in his poetry. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. is distinguished from other New England School poets by his characteristic use of humor and wit. Unlike transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson or Henry David Thoreau, who focused on nature, spirituality, and individualism, Holmes often wrote with a playful and satirical tone. While figures like Thoreau in Walden or Emerson in The American Scholar sought deeper meanings in nature and the human spirit, establishing an American literary independence and reflecting on freedom and self-reliance as central themes, Holmes's poetry often included societal commentary with a sharp edge of humor. This difference in tone and focus uniquely positions Holmes amongst his New England contemporaries.