a + 4*(x-y) + b**5

vs

   (+ a (* 4 (- x y )) (expt b 5 ))

Sometimes, as arithmetic with lisp shows, conciseness is better. Also, it isn't being more explicit than it is being more verbose.

It is abosolutely being more explicit. It's being more explicit that (expt b 5) is a unit that forms a single argument in the + form.

This is implicit in

  a + b ** 5

according to a precedence rule between the and + operator, which is hidden in the parser's implementation and in documentation thereof.

Well, the white-spacing

  a + b**5

suggests it. But the suggestions produced by insignificant whitespace can be mere wishful thinking:

  int* x, y; // two C pointers? not!

Speaking of whitespace, also have the advantage of there being multiple ways to split the expression into multiple lines, all conforming to a very clear, simple formatting rule:

  (+ a
     (* 4 (- x y))
     (expt b 5))

  (+ a
     (* 4
        (- x y))
     (expt b 5))

Fully expanded, every term on separate line:

  (+ a
     (* 4
        (- x
           y))
     (expt b
           5))

In this manner, we can write complex expressions that would be quite unreadable in infix, requiring break-up into intermediate temporaries.

We almost have a circuit diagram now with "gates" for the operations: a three input + gate, etc:

     ____
    /    |- a
    |    |      ____
  --| +  |-----/    |- 4
    |    |     |  * |      ____
    \____|-    |    |-----/    |- x
           `   \____|     | -  |
            |             \____|- y
            |   _____     
            `--/     |- b
               | expt|
               \_____|- 5