Birhan Keskin was born in Krklareli, a town on the European side of Turkey, in 1963. She graduated from the literature department of Istanbul University in sociology in 1986. She published her first poem in 1984. Between 1995 and 98, with her friends, she published the literary journal Göçebe (Nomad). She worked as an editor in numerous publications.

Her poetry books are: Delilirikler (Madlyrics), skenderiye Library Publications, 1991; Bakarsn Üzgün Dönerim (You Will Find That I Will Return Sad), Era Publishers, 1994; Cinayet K (The Winter of Murders) + ki Mektup (Two Letters), Göçebe Poetry Books, 1996; Yirmi Lak Tablet (Twenty Milligram Pills) + Yolcunun Siyah Bavulu (The Traveler's Black Suitcase), YKY, 1999; Yeryüzü Halleri (The World's Conditions), YKY, 2002; Kim Bälayacak Beni (her first five books, Who Will Spare Me), Metis Publishers, 2005; Ba (Ba), Metis Publishers, 2005; Y'ol (Y'ol ), Metis Publishers, 2006); Söuk Kaz (The Cold Excavation), Metis Publishers, 2010); Fakir Kene (The Poor Tick), Metis Publishers, 2016).

Birhan Keskin's Ba won the Altn Portakal (Golden Orange) poetry prize in Turkey in 2006. Her Söuk Kazi won the Metin Altok poetry prize in 2016.