Birhan Keskin was born in Kırklareli, Turkey, in 1963. She graduated from Istanbul University in 1986 with a degree in sociology. Her first poems began to appear in 1984. From 1995 to 1998 she was joint editor of the small magazine Göçebe. She has since worked as an editor for a number of prominent publishing houses in Istanbul.
Her books include: Delilirikler (1991), Bakarsın Üzgün Dönerim (1994), Cinayet Kışı + İki Mektup (1996), Yirmi Lak Tablet + Yolcunun Siyah Bavulu (1999), and Yeryüzü Halleri (2002). These five books were collected by Metis Publishing into Kim Bağışlayacak Beni (2005). Metis published two further collections, Ba (2005) and Y'ol (2006). Birhan Keskin was the 2005 winner of Turkey's prestigious Golden Orange Award for Ba.