Amid the raucous sounds of car horns,...

Amid the raucous sounds of car horns, police sirens and jackhammers, there is poetry to be found at the corner of 7th and Figueroa streets.

Etched in one circular block of polished granite, alongside an image of a rocking chair, are the words:

If I sit here / long enough / all will pass me by / one way or another.

Farther up 7th, another granite bench bears the image of five sets of eyes and the words:

Human eyes / are lights to me / seated / in this stone.

In all, there are eight such works by artist James Surls and poet Robert Creeley along 7th, forming one phase of the Poets’ Walk Project of Citicorp Plaza.

“They’re posed so you might not see them the first time you pass by,” said spokeswoman Carrie Tilton. “The idea is not to shock people into an artistic awareness.”

It is, however, a nice notch above the traditional bank toaster giveaway.

Publicity-conscious Virgin Airways, which recently angered some City Council members when it altered the Hollywood sign to read JOLLYWOOD, is now looking for comics to perform at 35,000 feet during its L.A.-to-London flights.

Tryouts will be held Oct. 13-14 at Town Center Park in Costa Mesa. Musicians and jugglers are also invited. But, the airline added, fire-eaters need not apply.

An L.A. photographer’s early-century bit of impertinence, noted in a recent Library of Congress journalism exhibit in Washington, is recalled somewhat differently in the L.A. Press Club’s newsletter.

Herb Krauch, the 93-year-old dean of L.A. journalists, declared that the L.A. Herald’s George Haley--not a Times photographer--should have been credited with uttering a memorable line to the visiting King of Belgium.

Krauch, who covered the event, said that the press was warned to take no photos as the king walked down a red carpet. “Haley waited until the King was about 15 feet past him and then shouted,” said Krauch.

The king turned. Haley got the shot.

And what had Haley shouted?

“Hey, King!”

At last--the service sought by many workers who agonize over leaving their little ones locked in the house all day. A company based in Hollywood has two pet day-care centers ($6 a day).

Lynn Lewin of For Pets Only, who describes herself as a “latchkey pet expert,” prefers dogs and cats but has taken a few birds and rabbits, as well as one lonesome rat.

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Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories sells several models of gas-powered, miniature cars for children, including a 6-foot-long mini-Jaguar ($3,495) and a 9-foot-long Ferrari Testarossa ($15,000).