Salt

Salt symbolizes preservation and purity, which in turn suggests longevity, cleansing, and protection. In the first stanza, the speaker asks for "a church / made entirely of salt," which could be understood as the ocean itself.

A New Freckle

The speaker asks for "the grace / of a new freckle," which symbolizes a mark caused by spending time outside in the sun (6-7). The desired freckle is on the speaker's cheek, meaning that she wants to turn her face to the sun long enough for it to leave a visible spot.

Sky Lanters

Sky lanterns symbolize light and warmth. In the poem, they serve as a bridge between the earthly and divine realms as the speaker compares her prayer to sky lanterns.

Constellations

Constellations symbolize human storytelling, cultural imagination, and mythos. The speaker personifies the heroes and animals drawn in the stars. Their scale (and the fact that...